In the Middle of Somewhere
by geniewithwifi
Summary: Three days ago, Felicity Smoak ran away from home. She meets Oliver Queen, a man who knows her secret. Oliver Queen is man who has just returned from war and is suffering from many different kinds of pain. Together, they set out to fix their lives. However, both of their pasts catch up to them and the find out that maybe their lives are more entwined than they thought.
1. Diggle

**Hey guys! I found my muse. It's a little damaged and so it doesn't work so well. Being that as it is, this post is 21 days late. I'm sorry. So so sorry. I'm going to try to make it a goal to update every Wednesday. Try. Very hard. I might need help reminding me to work on it. I am working two jobs though...**

 **Anyways! This is the long awaited follow up to my fic** **At the Edge of Nowhere** **. This picks up right after it ends so I highly encourage you to hop over and read it.**

 **This is a multi chapter -heaven help me- and I'm planning to have it done before Season 4 premiers. We'll see.**

 **Enjoy! Thanks for reading!**

 **Reviews feed the muse!**

It took them two days to catch up with her.

Felicity was surprised that the time was so short. She had been certain that with all her crazy precautions that it would take her mother at least a week, hopefully longer, to find her.

Felicity should have known going to Starling City had been the fatal flaw.

Pressed close up against Oliver's back, she felt the warmth of his body leek into her, filling her up with a strange comfort. She felt safe for the first time since leaving Las Vegas, the slight fear of the unknown plaguing her constantly until she had met Oliver. She trusted him for reasons still yet unexplained.

These facts frightened her though. Felicity was on a _motorcycle_ with a billionaire who so happened to be not only her boss's boss's boss's boss's son, but was apparently her half-sister (the one she found out about two hours ago) half-brother. She had met Oliver in a truck stop of all places and now was putting her entire life in his hands to take her to a place she had never been. All he had offered her was promises. Felicity knew so little about him that she didn't know if he could be faithful to these promises.

Felicity didn't even know where they were going at 1 am in the morning.

However, she had made her decision to trust the mysterious acquaintance- one she had kissed _twice_ , she reminded herself—and put her existence in what seemed like very capable hands.

Felicity's mind would not shut up though. It started running through all the reasons to _not_ trust Oliver even though her gut and her heart said otherwise. Her soul had recognized a similar one and had bonded, forged a link that she was only beginning to discover.

Her head screamed _caution!_ With blinking lights and a scrolling marquee. Oliver had just come back from war, instincts carved into his habits. Most, if not all, soldiers suffer from PTSD. Oliver was not an exception. Who knows what he would do to her if he had a flashback, or reacted to a strange noise. If Felicity wasn't careful she could end up hurt.

Or worse.

But for now, he was the only constant appearing in her life. A relation of a strange sort. He knew her, by name. Knew of her story, knew what made her tick. He seemed to care about her in the exact way Felicity was starting to care about him. Slowly, but very steadily.

Firmly, she threw up a mental block on her fear and doubts. She knew that the exhaustion created openings to allow the misgivings to seep through. Scary things cast shadows at night. In the daylight, everything was different. Truth becomes clear and doubt scuttles back to the corners.

She decided she needed rest before she would come to any clear cut decisions.

For right now, she basked in the warmth of another human being.

Oliver swerving off the freeway and down an exit ramp made her look up. In the distance, she saw skyscrapers twinkling and the dull roar of traffic resounding off the buildings.

Starling City.

They were in the outskirts of the city, a nice subdivision metropolitan area. Townhomes stretched down every block, white picket fences on every third home. Apple pie lives stared back at her, mocking her. Since her father left, she always dreamed and wished to be one of these families, to know her family loved her and cared for her and that she would rarely want for anything.

Now, she hated them.

Hated what they stood for, what could have been hers, what had never actually been possible for her life. Just who she was was a twisted blend of visionary and psychopathic nonsense.

Felicity turned away, staring at the black leather of Oliver's jacket, slung over his precious green hoodie. The hood her brother had given him. The brother she wished she knew.

Reaching up, she ran her fingers over the hood, the cotton soft on her pads. A member of her family that had actually troubled themselves with her well-being had touched this. Nostalgia overwhelmed her, yearning to have had the chance to _know_ him choked her.

Oliver pulling over and killing the engine snapped her out of her dangerous emotional spiral.

"We're here."

The first words spoken by either one of them in the past two hours broke a tension Felicity hadn't realized had been there.

"Where are we?" Felicity asked, shakily climbing off the bike. Oliver followed suit, placing a hand on her shoulder to steady her.

"My commanding officer's house. He's the one that got me out of Washington D.C." He huffed a scoff. "The government apparently doesn't pay for national travel. Overseas only." Oliver looked at her then. "Are you alright? Is it okay that we're here? I promise you, John will be alright with it."

Hesitantly, Felicity nodded. Oliver took off towards the house after putting down the kickstand. Two knocks, a pause, followed by two more knocks Oliver's knuckles rapped. A code, like some spy movie. Felicity expected identity verification when Oliver's friend opened the door. What she wasn't expecting was to see someone she knew.

Felicity had taken extreme measures to escape Las Vegas. The city was fun, to outsiders. But to her, it had always felt like a colorful prison, where one always stays in the same place, never moving, never taking chances. The first second she got she was on a plane to Boston, a full ride scholarship safely clutched in her hands.

Those had been the most freeing four years of her life.

Just after graduation, her mother had gotten in a car accident, a hit and run. Felicity had reluctantly come home to look after her. Felicity had already gotten a job offer from Queen Consolidated that she had accepted, planning to move to Starling City to work there. Her mother's accident interfered with those plans. As her luck would have it, a subsidiary was situated in Las Vegas. QC had been very accommodating to her, moving her position from its original place in Starling City to Las Vegas at her convenience. All was well and good, but once again Felicity was trapped in the pretty prison.

The only thing that had made that year bearable was her mother's neighbor. A man who lived with his brother and his family. A man who became her best friend, a rock she could lean on. He had leant on her in return. He had come back from war, like Oliver, full of PTSD and regrets. It was thanks to him that she knew so much of recovering military persons.

Felicity had helped him in return. She had been his support shoulder for as long as he had been in Vegas. She had encouraged him to reconcile with his ex-wife, a woman he had loved very much. However, his PTSD and psychological damage had been worse than his ex-wife's and he had ended it, cutting her free of his darkness.

Her friend had moved away from Vegas when his brother died, taking his Sister-in-law and nephew with him. He had moved to Starling City, the place where his ex-wife lived. The last she had hear from him was that he was getting remarried.

Until now.

Because the man in front of her was her neighbor from Vegas. The man that Oliver trusted most in this world was the same man she had trusted with her pain.

The one and only John Diggle.

Felicity gaped at her friend, standing in the doorway. Diggle greeted Oliver, reaching out and pulling him into a bro hug. Diggle only noticed her when he drew away, stopping in shock.

"Felicity? What are you doing here?" Diggle looked back and forth between her and Oliver. Oliver was staring at her with a confused expression.

"You know Dig?" He asked. Felicity nodded.

"Diggle? May we come in?"

"Oh, right. Yes, please, come in." Diggle drew back, holding the door open for them. Oliver let Felicity go first, following her through. The door closed behind them with a _click._

"Alright you two," Diggle said. Felicity and Oliver turned to face him. Dig had his arms crossed and a stern look on his face. "You two are going to explain why you are here, _together._ Especially you, Felicity. You're supposed to be in Vegas. Explain."

Felicity sighed, not wanting to get into all the details again. She was tired and just wanted to fall asleep. Just as she was about to explain this to Diggle, Oliver beat her to it.

"Diggle. Can't this wait until the morning? We both have had a very long day and night and would love to get some shut eye. We promise to explain everything in the morning."

Diggle eyed Oliver. "Promise?"

"Promise." They chorused together.

"Fine. Oliver you're on the couch because Felicity gets the guest room. It's down the hall to the right." With that, Diggle marched out. Felicity could faintly hear him on the stairs.

"I don't think he's very happy." Felicity staged whispered to the man next to her. Oliver shook his head in agreement.

Felicity hiked her backpack higher on her shoulder. "Well, goodnight."

Oliver cocked an eyebrow at her. "Don't I get a goodnight kiss?" He asked cheekily.

Felicity grinned and then replied simply. "No."

He pouted but Felicity had turned away towards the hall Diggle had pointed to. Oliver caught her around the wrist, spinning her around and stealing a kiss from her. "Goodnight," he whispered against her lips.

She left the room with a bounce to her step.

XXX

In the morning there was a knock on her door. Pulled from the best sleep she had gotten within the past three days, Felicity groggily got out of bed, pulling a sweatshirt over her head. Running her finger through her hair she opened the door to the guest room.

Oliver stood there, a solemn expression gracing his features.

"Dig wants us in the living room. Now."

She responded by closing the door behind her. They left the hall to find Diggle pacing the front room, the blanket Oliver had used to sleep with tossed half-heartedly over the arm of the sofa.

"Sit." Diggle commanded, pointing at the sofa. Felicity plopped down, curling her feet under her as she leant against the arm. Oliver sat next to her, elbows braced against his knees. Felicity yawned as Diggle faced both of them.

"Felicity. What are you doing here? Why are you with Oliver? I got Oliver a plane ticket to Portland, not Vegas. Why were you in Portland? More importantly, why are you in my house with a strange man I don't think you know. Explain."

Felicity opened her mouth but Oliver spoke over her. "Diggle—"

"No." He shook his head. "I want to hear it from her."

"I ran away alright!" Felicity spoke, exasperated. Once she let the stopper out, the whole story spilled through. "My mother is marrying a cop who I have met _once_ and insulted me by accident, and then she tells me that my biological father is Malcolm Merlyn! I couldn't handle it so I ran away. I met Oliver outside of Portland and he agreed to take me to Starling. Okay?"

Diggle shook his head vehemently. "No! Felicity, this is not 'Okay'! Not even close! You don't know Oliver. You don't know his history. How can you trust a man you don't even know?—And don't try to defend yourself, Oliver. You were my brother in the military but that was close to four years ago. I don't know the man you've become. Felciity, if I don't know the kind of man Oliver is, how can you? By meeting him for what? Ten Minutes?"

"It's not like that Diggle! He knew my brother! He knew my real name, who my father was before I even recognized him. He called me Felicity Merlyn."

That stopped Diggle's onslaught. His shocked expression clear upon his face. "Wait. You're telling me," he said cautiously, "that Oliver knew you were Malcolm Merlyn's daughter? This doesn't make sense."

Oliver finally was able to step in. "I knew of her before I went to college. Tommy wanted to meet his sister and I went with him. We never revealed to Felicity her secret though. We were too much of cowards."

Diggle ran his hands over his head. "You two are killing me. You," he pointed at Felicity, "ran away from a mother who loves you very much. And you" he pointed at Oliver, "won't even tell your family that you're back in the States. You are both messed up. "

"Then it's a good thing that they're here, Johnny." A voice spoke from the doorway. Felicity looked over to see a woman holding a child in her arms. "Who else better to sort themselves out than a man who's been there before." Apparently seeing Oliver and Felicity's perplexity , she introduced herself. "I'm Lyla, Diggle's wife."

"Ex-wife." Felicity said. Oliver had spoken the same words at the same time. She looked over at him. 'Jinx', she mouthed. It brought a small spark back to Oliver's eyes.

"Food's ready, John. Perhaps our guests would like to eat before you interrogate them some more."

Lyla disappeared into the kitchen. Diggle gave them a look. "We're not done talking about this. I need to make sure that you both know what you are doing and what you two are getting into."

"We wouldn't expect anything any different." Felicity replied. She moved to follow Diggle but Oliver stopped her.

"Are we…okay?" He asked, eyes searching hers. Felicity nodded, the feeling that she could trust Oliver still present in her gut. The moment it goes away is when Felicity will start to worry. Until then, he could be her constant.

If she wanted him to. Felicity really wanted him to be, and that frightened her a bit.

"We're alright. Let's get something to eat. I'm starving." With that, she pried Oliver's hands from her arm and followed the smell of eggs, bacon and hash browns.


	2. Lyla

Hey guys! An update!

With my crazy schedule I can't promise that I will always post on Wednesday. Since work and real life interfere with writing time, updates will take place either on Wednesday like they're suppose to or Thursday. It will be posted before Friday.

Aaaaaaaaand this chapter is angsty. I should probably warn you that this story is pretty angsty. There isn't much Rainbows and Sunshine. We're dealing with Oliver. A similar, guilt ridden, damaged man who has been through hell. Of course there is going to be angst.

But there is fluff coming up. Not with our favorite couple per se, but definitely fluff!

Reviews feed the Muse! Happy Reading!

Chapter Text

This was the most awkward breakfast Oliver had ever had. This is including the breakfast on his first tour where he was forced to eat rat guts right before a fire fight. That was nothing compared to the high tension in the room.

Oliver alone knew every reason. Diggle's tension was mostly aimed at him and Felicity, for the reckless way they had been behaving. Felicity was awkward around Lyla as she Oliver guessed she didn't really know her, and the matters with Dig weren't helping much. Lyla was trying to be the bridge between all three of them and failing spectacularly.

Then there was the tight pull between him and Lyla.

Seeing her here, in the States, under a roof which Oliver would have considered 'safe', was not something Oliver enjoyed, 'enjoyed' being the wrong word. 'Hated' was more likely.

Not that he didn't like Lyla. It's just her presence brought about a whole lot of memories that Oliver would rather keep buried. Two whole years of awful experiences following the tragic three previous years was more than enough for Oliver.

Sometime halfway through the meal, Lyla and Felicity had started up a conversation. The topic changed every minute, briefing through trite and trivial things. In a different situation, he and Dig would be having their own chat but Oliver's decisions had broken that congeniality. He had acted irresponsibly out of complete exhaustiveness and a small desire to throw caution to the wind and follow his heart. All because of Felicity.

She was different, but not in a bad way. She was a spark of bright flame that drew Oliver in, like a shark to blood. In all the women Oliver had met—and he had met quite a number—not one had struck deep down inside his core. He knew her, not intimately like a lover, not emotionally as a friend, not intuitively as a stranger, but a complex blend of all three. At a risk of sounding cliché, she was his better half.

Diggle obvious disagreed. As a presence intertwining both his and Felicity's past, he could judge them individually, knowing both their flaws and strengths and very, very accurately. It was apparent that Dig disapproved of whatever the relationship was that was budding between him and the ingenious blonde beside him.

Rationally, Oliver whole-heartedly agreed with Diggle. Oliver _was_ dangerous. The past four years since Diggle left were nightmarish at _best_. The greatest of men would have a hard time coming out untainted and Oliver was nowhere close to being of equal caliber. He was unworthy of any kind of friendship, let alone love. Oliver had crossed so many lines that defined good men from evil men that he considered himself a menace, a plague that should be wiped out. He was one of the bad guys. Felicity could be a continent away from him and that still wouldn't be far enough away.

Oliver was too selfish to actually attempt to implement it though. Not unless something drastic happened.

He liked the way he was around her. Lighter, happier. She reminded him of Tommy, the unfailing optimism, always seeing the best in people. Felicity never knew him, but if she had, she would probably be struck by how similar they were.

Oliver saw it. He has spent three hours in her presence and he already saw his best friend shining through the young woman.

Diggle and Felicity had traits in common also. They had built a friendship outside of him,one he only caught glimpses of. Diggle would not be this furious if he didn't care a lot about Felicity.

Oliver knew what he had to do to gain Diggle's respect, something he cherished more than life. His head insisted this was the way back to good graces.

The heart protested violently. It insisted that Felicity could be the key to putting Oliver back together again, like humpty dumpty.

What Oliver knew was that he was going to break someone's trust today. Either Diggle or Felicity.

The worst thing about it, though, was he knew, he _knew,_ which one would hurt worse.

And it wasn't going to be Diggle's.

Breakfast ended and Lyla invited Felicity with her upstairs to take care of Baby Sara. Felicity picked Sara up and Oliver was struck with how natural it looked. He squashed down the thought. Lyla followed Felicity, but not before she grabbed Oliver's arm and gave him a look, one he had seen many times in the past two years. It was the 'I-have-important-information-I-need-to-give-you-as-soon-as-possible' look.

He had always dreaded that look. Most of the time someone ended up dead after Lyla had a meeting with him. Usually by his hands. Anything that came from Lyla that accompanied The Look meant trouble.

Trouble Oliver was _done_ with.

Diggle was clearing dishes and Oliver joined him, silently scrubbing a plate with a washcloth.

"Dig," Oliver started.

Diggle closed his eyes in bit back annoyance before going back to running plates under hot water.

"What now, Oliver?" His tone was short and snappy. Oliver needed to make this right. He needed Diggle to understand.

"I'm not trying to get her hurt."

"That's exactly what you're doing, Oliver." Diggle roughly shoved off the tap. "By being anywhere near her right now, in your condition, is dangerous for her. You're unpredictable and that unsteadiness will leave her hurt and you guilt ridden."

"I'm trying to keep her safe."

"With you? Never. What happens if you flash and she ends up dead? By your own hands? She's better off away from you. She shouldn't have hooked a ride up with you. You shouldn't have offered in the first place."

Oliver squared his shoulders. "Oh, and her hitching rides with truck drivers was completely safe."

Diggle shook his head. "That's not what I'm saying. With you in your condition—"

"I'm fine! I don't have a condition!"

"Bullshit!" Diggle was right in his face. "No soldier is ever free from the battlefield. It takes time to heal, Oliver. Took me nearly three years and it was only with Felicity's help, that I'm even here and functioning with a wife and daughter. There are some days were I don't and Lyla and I are at each other's throats. She has them too. We all do.

"You've been in the States, what, a week? That is not nearly enough time, Oliver. Already, you're unstable. You're shaking, not being able to sleep, wincing at loud noises. What is the next thing that will set you off. And don't say it's not going to happen. Sooner or later it does. If Felicity is anywhere hear you, she _will get hurt._ So you stay the hell away from her, or I will make you." Diggle threatened Oliver, a menacing look in his eyes.

"I was planning on it." The statement brought Diggle up short.

"Don't give me crap, Oliver."

"I'm not. You've reminded me that I'm not human anymore. Dig," and he lowered his voice, " I fear I became the person we fought against. I am _that_ man, Diggle. _No one_ should be near me."

Diggle raised his head in understanding, his eyes widening. "Oh. That's why you don't want to let your family know your back. You're so screwed up that you believe that you're just going to get them hurt. Why is it any different with Felicity. If she's your sister's sister, she should be treated as such."

A nod of confirmation. "I know. But Felicity, is different. The least I could to was attempt to get her to a safe place. You are that safe place."

"You keep saying she's different, which is not a good excuse Oliver. What makes her special from all the other girls you've wooed before. Nothing! I will not let Felicity get caught up in your playboy ways. Plus, you're damaged. "

"I know that Dig, I know that all too well. My family will not see me like this. They can't be tainted by the darkness. They deserve better than a broken son and brother. So does Felicity. So I'm going to stay away just like you want me too. But Dig, she's made her choice. I'm going to hurt her anyways."

"Oliver…"

"John, please. Don't make it harder than it already is. I might as well get it over with. It's better for me to leave now before it's impossible to leave. She's special, Dig, and I can't—I can't… She draws me in, I can't explain it. So, I'm going to go before she comes down. It's better this way."

Oliver turned to grab his coat, planning to escape the inquiring eyes of Felicity.

"What are you doing?" Felicity voice reached him. _Shit._ "Where are you going?" She came up to him, a hand on his forearm. He couldn't meet her searching gaze.

"Nowhere," he lied, making the mistake of glancing over at Lyla who had followed Felicity down the stairs. _Double Shit._ He had forgotten about Lyla's covert meeting .

As she had in the past, Lyla covered for him. "Oliver agreed to go out back with me and look at the four-wheeler. I've heard he's great with mechanics." She gave Oliver a pointed look.

"Yes, that's right." He grimaced behind Felicity's back at the horrible lie. A week out and already his lying skills have diminished.

"Why don't you go and help John finish cleaning up, Felicity? I'm sure he could use some company."

Felicity smiled, before kissing Oliver on the cheek. The guilty weight in his ribcage sunk lower at the thought of what he planned to do. It was for the best, he told himself.

Oliver found Lyla waiting for him just outside the door. They both quickly checked around them for any eavesdroppers, as was custom and habit.

"What do you want, Agent Michaels?" he questioned her gruffly. Lyla gave him a look of annoyance.

"Your mission isn't over, Captain."

Oliver turned away from Lyla in disbelief before whirling on her.

"I thought it was. You pulled me out of the brotherhood for a reason. You sent me back to the States!" He was furious. They had let him believe that was out, that his mission and responsibilities were terminated. He really shouldn't be surprised that they weren't. No one got out unless they were dead.

"No. We needed you back in the States. The intel Contact sent us hinted at them moving the operation here to the US. As soon as we knew, we arranged the best way to extract you. It took a couple months, but now you're here. The indicated party has been confirmed to setting up shop, right here in Starling City. Which is why we've allowed to you come home. We needed you, Captain, with your assets and abilities."

"You want me to infiltrate? That's going to be extremely difficult considering the Father thinks I'm _dead_."

"Again, no. We need your resources to rescue Contact."

Oliver bared his teeth, clenching his fist in helplessness. He owed Contact for a lot of things, most of all his life, several times. Yet, he balked at the thought of living once again under Waller's thumb. It seemed that her shadow caused too many innocent causalities.

"This is more than just pulling an agent out, Captain." Agent Michaels informed him. "Contact's life is in peril and he has specific information that is vital to your two year mission. Without it, everything that we have worked for will have gone to waste." Oliver turned away, having heard enough. Lyla stopped him. "All your sacrifices would be worthless. Do you really want to live with that heavier guilt, Oliver?" She addressed him by name. Agent Michaels _never_ addressed him by name. It was always Captain.

Lyla was trying to reach him, not as his former—current—handler but as a friend. As John Diggle's wife. "If we finish this, if we get Contact out and intact with the critical information, then everything you had to do in the past two years will be worth it."

"Nothing will be worth taking the lives and virtue of innocents."

"Captain, people who deal only in extremes—"

" I know the rest, Agent Michaels."

"Just remember you did everything of your own free will."

Oliver huffed mockingly. "What free will? You put me in a place with none. It was do or die. And I'm pretty sure you and your superior would have rather had me alive than dead. So that left only 'Do'"

Oliver turned back to the house. "I owe Contact a lot, and for that sole reason alone, I will help you. Then we are done. As for my guilt, it is a burden I bear for what I have become."

The door swung shut in finality behind him.

Oliver found Dig and Felicity in the kitchen, both seated at the table. It was clear he had walked into the middle of something, since Diggle was staring at Felicity pointedly and Felicity was pointedly ignoring him, tracing the grains of wood under her finger.

"Felicity, I—"

Two things happened simultaneously. The backdoor slammed closed as Lyla entered the house and the sound of glass breaking resounded clamorously through Oliver's head. A sense of panic and urgency rushed through him, the overwhelming need to survive rushing in his blood.

On instinct only, a second before overlaying scenarios converged, he grabbed Felicity and hauled her to the ground.

 _The ground was hard and dusty, the dirt flooding his mouth. Shado was beneath him, eyes wild from panic and fear. She was not trained for these kind of situations._

 _A ricochet of bullets clamored over his head as Oliver risked a peak over the crate that was shielding him and Shado. Through the dim light of a faraway lantern, he could make out at least three shapes with machine guns, movement behind them betraying more. He was vastly outnumbered and outgunned._

 _If only he had been on his guard. Dig had always told him that being distracted would get him and others killed._

 _Tonight proved him right._

 _Peering through the tent, Oliver saw Brody, strapping two machine guns to his chest. Oliver tried to wave him down, to tell him not to do it, they would figure a way out._

 _Brody just tipped him a salute and ran out guns blazing. Two went down, providing enough time for Oliver to dash to his duffle, pulling out his weapon._

 _He turned to Shado._

" _Stay Here."_

 _He ran out, shooting one assailant in the chest. The next in the arm. A cry of alarm made him turn around._

" _Oliver!"_

"Oliver!" Someone was shaking him. Without thinking, reacting purely on fight or die instinct drilled into him, he connected with the threat. A cry of pain was the result. Encouraged, Oliver found the person's neck, squeezing down.

Two sets of hands grabbed him strongly, hauling him off of his attacker. He fought them, hearing his name being deafened.

Oliver shook the memory from his mind, slowly remembering where he was. He was in a kitchen chair, Diggle forcing his shoulders down, the pressure releasing as Diggle felt him stop struggling. On the floor was a broken goblet, the source of the shattering glass.

Lyla was hovering, ready to attempt to incapacitate him if needed, between him and the person who had been shaking him,. Felicity.

Oliver swore in Russian, a stream of filthy words in that tongue filling the tense atmosphere.

Felicity was clutching her throat, still coughing from lack of air. Oliver could see beneath her hands the skin attaining a purplish hue.

Anguished, Oliver buried his head in his hands, fingers pulling at his hair. He started rocking back and forth, the chair's legs coming off the floor with every backward sway, the _thunk_ of every forward motion as the wooden echoed against the hardwood. Denial rang with every down stroke.

"No. No. No. No. No."

"Oliver…" he was stroked on the arm. Physically he flinched away, but internally screaming for someone to _help him._

This had never happened before. He'd been through Afghanistan, Mongolia, Russia, and not once had a simple noise set off something as harrowing as this, this, episode. The sensation was strange and new and frightening.

Oliver had been scared many times in his life. He had faced down too many barrels of guns, the men, and sometimes woman, behind it aching to kill him. Everytime he thought he was going to die, he lived to see another day.

Now that he wanted to live, wanted out of that twisted life he'd been living for the past five long years, death came for him in pain and agony. Everyday that he had denied death, it seemed as though it was coming, but not without inflicting as much torture as possible on him.

Oliver shoved away from the comfort, recognizing the hand as Lyla's. He turned cold eyes on her. "This is what you made me into. Are you happy now?"

Time stilled as Oliver took in all their faces. Diggle with a glum look of recognition. He _knew_ that this would happen. Lyla, with a taken aback expression mixed with resignation. And Felicity. Felicity just looked at him with acceptance, albeit with wariness.

"Hey. Hey hey, you're fine you didn't' hurt me," Felicity approached him carefully. Oliver hated how he did this to her. He made her afraid. Of _him._

He scoffed at her words. "Say that to the mirror. Those bruises say otherwise."

"Oliver."

"No! Just no! Stay away from me, Felicity. I'm only going to get you hurt. You don't know me. You think you do but you don't. What this just proved is that I'm a monster. I'm tainted so much by blackness that there is nothing left. So get as far away from me as you can because I'm no good for you.

"This was a mistake. Meeting you was a mistake. And for that I'm sorry. I promised you the world and it turns out I can't give it to you. Go find someone who can."

Two seconds later the roar of the motor bike was under him and he was free.

Oliver told himself he was saving them, curing them of the infection that was him.

In reality, he was running away from his demons. Just like he had always been.


	3. Thea

**A/N: Hey guys! I'm super late on this one. Like an entire week. I'm so sorry. This chapter is longer than I anticipated and I'm working three jobs (if not four). Finding time to write without feeling rushed was a challenge.**

 **Fun fact: if you've noticed, all the chapters are different people. I just wanted to point out that if At the Edge of Nowhere was a chapter, it would be called Tommy.**

 **Thank you for everyone who has reviewed and supported me in this! Hugs and Kisses to you all!**

 **Heads up, there won't be a new chapter next Wednesday. However, you might get one the Saturday or Sunday after that.**

 **Happy Reading!**

 **Reviews Feed the Muse!**

Felicity knew that something fishy was going on between Oliver and Dig's wife, Lyla. There was this strange aura coming off of both of them when they were in each other's presence. Not that Felicity dabbled in palm readings or anything psychic. It just seemed like they knew each other.

Which didn't seem likely since Dig had met Oliver on his third tour, after Dig and Lyla had gotten a divorce. Dig and Lyla had gotten married a year ago. Oliver was still gone since he had told Felicity that he had just gotten back. Unless that was a lie...

Felicity brushed the thought away. Oliver and Lyla had come up with that lame excuse of fixing the four-wheeler. If that was how well Oliver could lie then he had been telling the truth of just returning home. But it didn't explain the connection between the two strangers.

Felicity reasoned that nothing explained her and Oliver's connection either. After everything that Felicity's been through, trust come slowly to her. She remembers it taking several months to trust Dig. To trust his judgement and his character. To trust that he wouldn't hurt her during a flash.

So she didn't blame Diggle for questioning her motives. Oliver had the exact same problems as John did, probably worse. The shadows haunting the deep blue eyes hid a darkness she had never seen in Diggle's. Whatever happened out there to Oliver, choices had been made that he regretted, actions witnessed that ripped apart his faith.

The fact that such a man had trusted her with a story, a terribly sad one, of his best friend's death, made her trust him. Trust, like respect, was a two way street. Hers and Oliver's was just shorter than everyone else's.

Besides the fact of not believing Lyla's excuse, Felicity harkened to her advice anyways. She found Dig in the kitchen, scraping off dried food on the frying pan.

Felicity found her glass, filling it with cold water from the fridge before taking a seat at the table, waiting for him to finish. She hadn't had a long wait; thirty seconds later the seat across from her was filled.

"Felicity. I can't imagine what you have been through these last couple days,"

"Then don't" she interjected.

"But I need to know what you're doing. You ran away from home."

"Dig. You know that Vegas has always seemed like a prison to me. My mom got hurt several years ago and I was only supposed to be there temporarily. But those months turned into years and I could never seemed to leave. Something always happened that prevented me even making plans. Then it didn't matter where I was. I was resigned to living my life sheltered and smothered by a mother who loves me too much and not enough. Now that I'm out, I see what a disappointment my life has been. I want to _do_ something with it, make the world a better place. Oliver has offered me that."

Dig sat silent through her explanation, a neutral expression in his eyes. Seconds passed as Dig contemplated what to say. "What makes you think it was his to give?"

"What—"

Dig held up his hand. "No, I want you to listen Felicity. I think that yes, you should do what you want with your life, and not always live to your mother's expectations. But I don't think that Oliver is the right path, at least not yet. He's suffering badly and the worst part of it, is he doesn't know it. He believes that he's fine. Four years ago, I might have believe him. But when I look in his eyes, I don't see my brother from the battlefield. I see a weapon, a cold, heartless, weapon filled with shadows and grief.

"I'm just trying to keep you safe, Felicity, because you're my friend and I care about you. I will try and help you with your life. But you shouldn't trust him. The right situation could set him off and the flood gate will open. The flashes, the _nightmares,_ will worsen until he's walking in his past, never seeing the present."

"I helped you with that. I can help him." Felicity insisted. She knew she was the person that could help Oliver. He trusted her—something that still surprised Felicity. She was going to take advantage of that trust and repair what had been broken.

"He's not a computer, Felicity. You can't just replace the faulty parts and reboot him."

"Oh but that's it! Giving Oliver good memories will outweigh the bad."

"That's not how this works and you know it. He needs to open up…"

"And who better to do that than me? Oliver trusts me!"

"Felicity. Stop, please. Oliver trusts me too. Why do you think he came here, out of everywhere he could go? Because he knew that I've been through it. Maybe not to the same degree he has, but I've been there, I understand. You don't. Plus, I can handle him if something happens. Felicity. He could _kill._ You. So, for your best interests, I would stay away from him for a while. Just so he can settle down enough and get help. After that, it's your life, your choice. If you want to pursue a relationship with him, then that's your business. I just don't want to see you get hurt. I love you too much."

Felicity nodded, staring down at the wood and writing letters into it. She heard Dig loud and clear, and against her better judgment, planned to listen to him.

The backdoor closing interrupted Felicity's train of thought. Oliver appeared in the doorway, his entire posture rigid. Whatever he and Lyla talked about wasn't good. Felicity again wondered if they knew each other.

"Felicity, I-" The backdoor closed again, this time more violently. It's scared Felicity so much that her hand jerked, hitting the glass of water causing it to shatter against the floor.

She also hit the floor a second later, having been pulled to the ground by Oliver, who was crouched protectively over her. Over Oliver's shoulder she could see Diggle stand up, apprehension written all over his face. Lyla rushed in from the same direction that Oliver had come from; it was her who had slammed the door, no doubt in anger.

Oliver's hands were squeezing her shoulder and upper arm painfully, probably leaving bruises. Observing Oliver, Felicity saw that he didn't _see_ her. His eyes kept moving past her, looking and seeing the danger that wasn't there. Felicity had to admit, she may have dreamed of a similar position last night with Oliver but it was under different circumstances. Non-life-threatening circumstances.

Oliver was having exactly what Dig feared he would. It seemed that a door slamming and glass breaking were the perfect triggers.

He was having an episode.

Felicity reached up awkwardly with her hands to grasp Oliver's shoulders.

"Oliver." She spoke, accenting it with a shaking motion. No sign that he hear her. Oliver flinched then, from some invisible foe. Felicity shook harder.

"Oliver! Come on. Oliver!"

All of a sudden, Oliver's hands moved from her shoulders to her throat, his wild eyes gazing unseeing in her face. Then he started to squeeze.

Felicity couldn't breathe, black spots from lack of oxygen dancing gleefully at her impending death. Some part of Felicity wished they were stars instead. Then she could tell people they were all wrong about the black spots.

Desperate, she banged her hand against Oliver, shoving uselessly at his iron body. Abruptly, the grip was loosened and Felicity could breath. One inhale after the other, ragged breaths giving plentiful oxygen. When she could see, both Dig and Lyla were on either side of Oliver, shoving him roughly in the chair.

Diggle kept a hand on Oliver while his wife hurried to Felicity, slowly helping her up from the hardwood. Felicity couldn't stop coughing as she watched Oliver, his eyes losing the glazed over look.

Oliver finally came to full awareness, looking around at those gathered, at Dig holding Oliver to the chair, at Lyla, who was standing in front of Felicity, until Oliver alighted on her. His eyes widened in horror and a stream of strange words erupted from his mouth. Lyla flinched, apparently understanding the curse words.

He buried his head in his hands, denial coursing from his lips, rocking back and forth in his anguish, the pounding sound echoing loud in the kitchen.

Lyla approached him cautiously, hand outstretched in comfort. The second her fingers touched his skin he shied away, glancing up.

The venomous glare heated towards Lyla gave the impression to Felicity that no stranger would give to another. They _knew_ each other. Oliver's words confirmed it.

"This is what you made me into. Are you happy now?" His voice was full of self-loathing and hatred.

Feeling like she had to do something, Felicity spoke up.

"Hey. Hey, hey, you're fine you didn't' hurt me," she tried to placate him, creeping towards him. Oliver's expression darkened when he looked at her.

"Say that to the mirror. Those bruises say otherwise."

"Oliver..." From what she knew of him, Oliver was scared, mostly at himself, for what had happened. Even though Diggle had been right, she wasn't frightened of him. The key to dealing with this was to face it. Not to run from it. John Diggle should know this, yet he keeps trying to wave her off.

Felicity knew without a doubt that she, and only she, could be the one to help Oliver.

But only if he accepted it.

"No!" He stumbled from the chair, backing away from her forward approach, hand held in front like he was trying to protect himself, when in reality he was protecting her from _him._ "Just no! Stay away from me, Felicity. I'm only going to get you hurt. You don't know me. You think you do but you don't. What this just proved is that I'm a monster. I'm tainted so much by blackness that there is nothing left. So get as far away from me as you can because I'm no good for you."

He stormed into the living room, grabbing his jacket draped over the couch. Felicity followed him, frantically wanting him to stay, to understand. He never turned to face her even though she knew he felt her presence.

"This was a mistake. Meeting you was a mistake. And for that I'm sorry. I promised you the world and it turns out I can't give it to you. Go find someone who can."

With those heartbreaking words, he dashed out into the street, the roar of the motorcycle clearly heard. Lyla grabbed her arm from going after him, rooting her to the house.

Not really knowing Lyla, but not caring, Felicity buried her face against Lyla's blouse, tears leaking from her eyes. A second later, the soft cotton was replace with a scratchier material.

Dig wrapped his arms around her, soft soothing noises emitting from him. Felicity didn't' know why she was crying, she knew Oliver for less than twelve hours. But it felt like twelve _years._ He was her best friend in an instant, either from the lack of a social life in Vegas or just plain insanity. What she did know was that she felt like she could trust him, her gut, heart and head in accordance for once. No matter what Oliver believed himself to be, there was a good man under there. A bad man wouldn't have helped a strange girl in a gas station. He wouldn't have made sure she had a safe place to sleep—knowingly or unknowingly bringing her to Diggle. The last act that cinched that he was indeed a good man was that he wasn't under the delusion that he could keep her safe. A selfish man would have ignored all warnings and kept her with him.

Just the act of leaving sealed her opinion of him.

Oliver Queen was a good man.

XXXXX

XXXXXX

Two hours later, Felicity sat on the guest bed, staring blankly at the wall. Oliver had disappeared a little after seven, and Diggle had carried her in here, leaving her alone to her heartbreak. Her tears had dried up soon after and Felicity had drifted back to sleep.

Now she sat on the edge, wondering what she was going to do next. Oliver had made her promises and yet a few hours later, disappointed her by taking them back. It seemed that he had sold something he didn't have. Felicity was one thing, but a sucker wasn't one of them. She grew up in Vegas and had seen all the cons.

This one blind-sided her. The con was elaborate and devastating. And from what Felicity had witnessed, had destroyed them both, neither being left unscathed.

A soft knock drew her from her thoughts, the door opening slightly.

"Felicity?" It was John. "May I come in?"

She gave one short nod, not caring if Diggle saw it or not. Apparently he did, coming in and shutting the door behind him.

"I'm sorry, Felicity. I couldn't stop him." There was a tiredness in Diggle's voice that shouldn't be there at nine thirty in the morning. "He's my brother and I did nothing to help. Him or you. I thought that I knew best. I thought that perhaps keeping you apart…"

"John," she finally looked over at him, "it's okay. When the time is right, perhaps he'll return. Until then, well, his promises aren't going to be fulfilled."

"Maybe not, Felicity. Tell me where you stand with your job."

She let out a hollow laugh. "I'm pretty sure fired. When you don't show up for four days in a row that tends to happen to you."

Diggle made a sound of disagreement. "Perhaps not. You're at Queen Consolidated, right?"

Felicity confirmed yes.

"Well, QC headquarters are here. Why don't you go talk to them? Say you moved here without notice and are sorry you never contacted work to let them know what was going on. You can stay here with me until you figure out what you want to do, whether you want to stay in Starling or return to Vegas. Remember, it's your life. You get to make the decisions."

Felicity smiled a shaky smile. "This is why I like you. You always seem to be able to cheer me up."

"Oh, so that's why you keep me around. And I thought it was because of my good looks?" Dig teased. She shoved him playfully.

"You wish."

"Come on. Lyla's already left for her super-secret work, and I'm late to mine. I can give you a ride into Queen Consolidated."

"Okay." Felicity looked down at her clothes. They were dirty and dusty, marked with stains. "Do you think I could get a change of clothes?"

XXXX

XXXX

After a quick stop at a boutique to purchase some business appropriate clothes (jeans weren't going to cut it) and a short change in a public bathroom (she threw away her old clothes) Felicity was ready to face the towering high-rise of the multibillion company that had been her place of employment. Hair in a ponytail, high heels on, she felt more like herself and not the ragged runaway.

Diggle informed her that he would be off around seven; she would have to entertain herself until then. He worked in private security and managed somewhere between twenty and forty guards all at once. Normally, he worked until six, but one of his employees had died on the job and there was a funeral to attend that night. She gave him her condolences and traipsed off to find Queen Consolidated.

Nervous and not really sure where she was supposed to go, Felicity asked at the front desk. The girl was on the phone and ignored her question, just waving at the elevators as her answer. Shrugging, Felicity hit the call button for the elevator and step on. Only later did she realize that while the lobby was full of people waiting for the elevator, none of them got on with her. In fact, some of them gave her incredulous looks. In the moment, however, Felicity dismissed them, too focused on her anxiety.

The doors slid shut but didn't move. Felicity noticed a keypad in which she entered her old ID. Within seconds, the elevator started moving up, much faster than any of the lifts in Vegas.

Another thing Felicity didn't notice was the fact that there was only the key pad—no numbers for individual floors.

The doors opened and Felicity walked out, faking confidence and hoping that they wouldn't notice. Resisting the urge to fidget, she boldly strode to the secretary.

The older brunette scarcely looked up, simply stating "You can go right in. He's expecting you."

That drew her up short. "He's expecting me?" She parroted.

The assistant leveled her a look and then went back to typing. Sheepishly, Felicity ducked into the office. Where she stood shell-shocked.

Felicity was standing in Walter Steele's office.

The _CEO's_ office.

If she had been the swooning type, she would have fainted right there. As it was, she forgot all the reasons to halt her fidgeting.

"Hello." Felicity felt it only right for her to speak first.

"Just one second, Hasting, I have to finish—Oh. Hello. Who are you?" He asked, not unkindly. Felicity stared at him for a single beat before her mouth decided to make itself useful.

"I'm Felicity Smoak. I worked at QC in Las Vegas" Vaguely, Felicity remember the story she and Diggle had cooked up. "I moved to Starling City without notice and would love my job back. Not that I'm begging or anything, well, in some ways I am, but with no disrespect sir, I did a very good job in Vegas and I believe that I should still be able to maintain my place of employment. Sir."

Felicity was able to stop her ramble, mentally going over it to make sure nothing was particularly insulting. She may have come off brash…

Walter cocked his head in recognition. "So _you're_ Felicity Smoak. I've heard many things about you, Miss Smoak and I say, I'm quite impressed with your work. Under this company as well as your time at MIT. Yes, Miss Smoak, I know who you are. If I remember correctly, your employment was originally here in Starling? Well, now that you're here, I want to extend a promotion to you."

Felicity's brain short-circuited. He wanted to promote her? He knew her name? All she wanted was her job back.

"We have a position open that would benefit from your expertise. Vice President to the Director of the Applied Sciences Division. What do you say about that?"

Felicity could only gape at him.

"Very well, if you don't want it…"

"Oh I want it very much sir. Thank-you sir. But why me? Sir."

"Why not you, Miss Smoak? You graduated summa cum laude from MIT with a Masters in Cyber Security and Computer Sciences. Your paid internship at Kord Industries qualifies you for a high job than what you started at. Of course I know who you are. You are one of the best acquisitions this company has acquired. "

Walter straightened papers on his desk. Felicity was speechless, something that had only happened a few times in her life.

"Now, when can you start?"

After an entire conversation with Walter about her employment status and promising that she would start in six days, Felicity all but skipped out of the office. As horrible as the day started, it was looking up, rays of sunshine through the dark clouds.

Choosing to take a regular elevator down to the main floor (she had realized that she had ridden up in the private executive elevator) she promptly hit the Lobby button. Just as the doors were about the close, a hand shot out, effectively stopping them. They reluctantly drew open again.

In stepped an icon just as big as her brother. Thea Queen was poised and polished as she joined Felicity in the empty elevator. Her half-sister barely gave her a glance, Thea's attention wrapped up in whatever was on her smartphone.

Without consent, Felicity spoke up.

"Thea Queen?"

Thea finally put her phone away and leaned against the elevator wall, examining Felicity. "Yeah, that's me. Can't say I know who you are."

"I'm—" Felicity stopped herself. She didn't even know if Thea was told about her parentage. She would have to bring it up in a roundabout manner.

"I was just visiting your step-dad, Walter Steele."

"Ex-step-dad. They got a divorce five years ago."

"I'm sorry." It seemed that Felicity had opened a floodgate though.

"All because of my mother's great plan to take over the world. As though she hadn't already. Doesn't this company like own the entire world? Why would she want to destroy it? But Walter was a great dad, even though he wasn't really my father. Still looks after me. My father won't be winning any Dad of the Year awards. Not with him being in—" Thea snapped her mouth closed, looking at Felicity in dread before glaring a hole through the elevator doors. What she didn't know was that she had given Felicity the perfect opportunity. It seemed that Thea knew the family secret.

"In prison." Felicity finished Thea's sentence. "Yeah, our father won't be getting the #1 Dad sticker for a long time. Destroying half of Starling City tends to do that to you."

Thea whipped her head around to stare at Felicity. "What did you just say?" She asked incredulously.

"I said that our father won't be getting—"

"I heard you the first time. You said 'Our Father'."

Felicity shrugged under Thea's inquisitive gaze. "Well, yeah. Malcolm Merlyn is my father, your father, so that makes us sisters? Well, technically _half_ -sisters because we don't share the same mom. I mean unless Moira Queen is actually my birth mom which knowing me would _just_ turn out to be true and I do not need that kind of complication in my life."

Thea was still staring at her completely overwhelmed.

"I have a sister? You're my sister?"

Felicity nodded. "Uh-huh."

"Oh the stars above this can't be happening to me." She ran her fingers through her hair in distress, turning a slow circle. Just then, the lift arrived at the lobby and Felicity stepped out. Thea had no choice but to follow her.

Having said her piece, Felicity turned to leave, exiting the building through the revolving door. She heard Thea call after her.

"Wait! Wait. You're my sister?" Thea grabbed Felicity by the arm. Looking around, Felicity drug Thea over to the wall of the building.

"Do you want everyone to know? Yes, Thea, unfortunately my biological father is Malcolm Merlyn. That makes us half-sisters. Just like we're half-sisters to Tommy."

"You know about Tommy?"

"Of course. As soon as I found out about my parentage, four days ago, thank-you mother, I did research as is my special ability. Tommy was Malcolm's public son, why wouldn't I know?"

Thea breathed in a large gulp of air let then it out abruptly. "I'm sorry, this is kind of a surprise for me. Finding out that you have a sister."

"It was a surprise to me last night when I found out."

That's when Thea started calculating. "How _did_ you find out? No one knows this except for maybe four people."

"Never mind that. It's not important."

"Yes it is. Now, how did you know?"

"Thea, I can't tell you!" Felicity cried, frustrated. "The important thing is that I know."

"Okay. Wait." Felicity had started walking away from her. "If you're my sister, do you want to go do something, I don't know, have lunch or something? You're basically the only family I have left. Both my parents are in jail, Walter is no longer my step-dad and Ollie and Robert Queen are dead. What I'm saying is I would really like to spend some time to get to know you. That okay?"

Felicity couldn't help but grin. "Sure. Lead the way, Miss Queen. To be honest with you, I'm craving a burger right now."

"You've come to the right place, Miss… oh my god I don't know your name!"

Felicity laughed at that. "Felicity. Felicity Smoak."

"Well, Felicity Smoak, I know the best burgers in town. Come with me."

XXX

XXX

Two hours later, plus a Big Belly Buster with fries and a shake, Felicity felt like she knew her sister, better than any tabloid. Thea was currently interning at Queen Consolidate as well as managing her brother's old nightclub, Verdant. She had a talent for business and a passion for fashion.

Not to mention her boyfriend, Roy.

In almost every topic her and Thea talked about, Roy was brought up somewhere in the conversation. From what Felicity could tell, Roy worked at Verdant as a manager, was a rough kid who ran with a rough crowd and loved Thea adoringly. Only one who was smitten as such as he could sit through a here hour conversation about designer shoes.

Felicity stared out the window of the taxi. Thea chattering constantly to her. It seemed that Thea had gotten over her initial shock and whole-heartedly embraced the sister thing. If she was honest, Felicity didn't mind hanging out with Thea. As far as impromptu sisters went, Thea was the best of them, if not a bit shallow. Thea had a good heart. Just like her brother's

Felicity sighed at herself. For a solid three hours she had been able to not think of Oliver and the gaping hole he had left in her heart. She had opened it up to him and he had snuck in. Only now that he was gone did she notice the gap. Felicity didn't know if she would ever see him again.

The taxi pulled to a halt and they climbed out. Thea wanted Roy to meet Felicity (Roy being one of the four people who knows Thea's secret) and introduce them. They had taken a taxi to Verdant where Roy was receiving a shipment.

"Come on, Felicity. He should be in here." Thea pushed open the steel door with the green logo painted across it. "Roy?!" Thea called into the empty room, her voice echoing against the walls.

Felicity followed Thea through the club as she searched for her boyfriend. In the back, besides some bottles of Cristal Felicity spied a keypad, with a door shaped panel. Before she could get a closer look, Thea dragged her outside into the alley.

Two people were there, one roughly shoving the other into the wall before threatening him. Felicity recognized them both.

One was about medium height with dark brown hair, longer than the last time she had seen it. His familiar red hoodie was worn, he never went anywhere without it.

"Roy William Harper Jr! What are you doing here?!" Felicity called. At the sound, both heads swung towards her. At the motion, Thea gasped as she got a better look at the man threatening her boyfriend.

"Ollie?"

 **A/N:** **Yes, I'm evil. I know this. Who do you think Roy is? And why is Oliver threatening him? You'll find out in the next chapter!**


	4. Roy

**AN: I feel like I should apologize for giving you that cliffhanger and then no update for three weeks. Actually, no, I'm not sorry.**

 **This chapter will answer many of your questions. Also, Two things. One, pay attention to the timeline, when everything occurs in Oliver's past. Second, every single chapter has foreshadowing. See if you can find it.**

 **A big big thanks to alizziebyanothername over on tumblr for reading this over and getting back to me so quickly.**

 **Reviews Feed the Muse!**

 **Thanks For Reading!**

The motorcycle purred under Oliver. After cruising backroads and alleyways for the better part of an hour he'd finally started to calm down. What had happened had scared him badly; in a way that fear had never paralyzed him before. It was fear of _himself._

The moment he had realized he had become a monster was around two years ago, during his induction into the ranks of the Bratva. Only now has he accepted what Waller had made him into.

Three years ago he'd looked into the eyes of The Devil Incarnate and with no thought to the punishments of his soul, sold him his life. He had put himself in the Devil's Hands and become one of them. Her dirty work was his business, her hand his hand. He became _the_ Devil.

A few short hours ago he thought he'd been free: free of the Devil, of his punishment, of the monster inside of him. With the appearance of Agent Michaels his carefully crafted cage of disillusionment had come crashing down. He wasn't a person. Oliver was a cold steel weapon, crafted from people trying to kill other people. He was a soldier, there to follow the commands of his betters.

And so, as any good soldier does, he reports for duty.

Pushing his unease of how _right_ Diggle was aside, that Oliver wasn't as unaffected as he liked to pretend he was, Oliver made his way north on his stolen bike to a place he had only been once about a year and a half ago.

ARGUS Headquarters.

Hell itself.

Security stopped him at the door. Oliver had never been given an ID badge seeing as most of his work was undercover, rather than a desk job. The base in Mongolia hadn't been this secure—still highly secure as most ARGUS bases were—but seeing how this was _Headquarters_ , this was probably the safest place in all of the world. Triple checks at the gate, ID badges, each and every agent proficient with three different types of weapons as well as technology. Oliver should feel completely relaxed and safe.

Then why did it feel like he was walking into the Lion's Den?

The first guard performed a fingerprint, facial and retinal scan, the backup procedure to a "Lost" ID badge. The next one a vocal sample. The final check was questions only Captain Queen would know. Thankfully, none of them addressed his two years in the snow. Just some of the training code words.

By the time he was finished, an agent was waiting for him. Waller never liked to wait around and seven days was a very long time.

Oliver predicted that she would be furious from the fact that he had gone dark. He was right.

Thinking that ARGUS had just pulled him out for good, Oliver had escaped to the States, after Contact got him out, determined not to let ARGUS ensnare him again. For seven days that had been possible, staying away from cameras, hiding out under bridges during the day, coming out only at night. Oliver recognized that that was no way to live but it was better that doing ARGUS's dirty work.

His mistake was contacting Diggle.

He had lied to Felicity when he said he flew in from New York. He'd been in San Francisco, cowering from cameras. Desperate for food and some human companionship, Oliver had reached out to his old commanding officer. Diggle always had a knack for getting him out of a tight spot.

If Oliver had known that Dig's wife was an ARGUS agent—even worse, his _handler_ – he never would have even _breathed_ in Diggle's direction .

As soon as Diggle had told Lyla Oliver was crashing at their place, Michaels had probably alerted Amanda, letting her know Oliver's whereabouts.

Which is why she greeted him just outside security, two agents flanking her.

"Mr. Queen," she sneered, a frigid exterior tightening her entire frame. As predicted, she was _furious._ "So glad you could join us after your…impromptu, ah vacation. Come, there is much to discuss."

She swept ahead of him, not letting him argue in anyway, as was her typical fashion. Everyone had a flaw.. Amanda Waller's was her predictability of being a bitch.

The Bitch that ruled the world.

He was introduced to a steel conference room, one chair in the otherwise empty room. Reluctantly, and knowing no good would come from trying to defy and resist, Oliver sank into the chair, Amanda pacing in front of him.

"I'm going to ignore the past seven days for now, _Captain_ Queen, in favor of more pressing events. How much has Agent Micheals briefed you on?"

The silence that followed was much longer than what Amanda usually expected. He didn't want to tell her anything.

"Queen, it would be in your best interest if you reported to your superior."

Oliver glared at the woman who ruined his life. "On one condition."

That made her snap. "you aren't in any position to make demands, Captain Queen."

"On the contrary," Oliver replied, "I'm in a perfect position. You need my help. You need _me._ I've dedicated close to three years of my life to this role, breaking any and all of my moral codes to do your bidding."

"You agreed to it of your own free will and choice."

"No!" The clipped and matter-of-fact way she put that grated on Oliver's nerves. _How dare she!?_ "You blindsided me and guilted me into this. I thought what you wanted was a soldier and I was in a low place after my entire squad was massacred. I was lonely and suffering and you preyed on that. I went along with your training and language tutoring. For nine months I was told and fully believed that I was going on assignment into Markovia. Instead, one day before I'm shipped out, I'm told, _by you,_ that I'm to be an undercover agent in the Bratva! The Russian Mob! I was a soldier fighting for my country—"

"And you still are, Captain. Whether you worked for ARGUS or the US Special Forces you still are—"

"A Soldier? A Soldier that lives among the enemy? A soldier that has no backup, no friends, no one to get him out of a sticky spot. A soldier has his brothers. I had _no one._ "

"You had Contact."

Amanda's cold words snapped him out of his tirade. Flashes of unknown emails about the snow or pencils or a strange computer game with a white house came to his memory.

He had never met Contact, just knew he was undercover just as him. Contact had been in place about six months before Oliver was ever inducted into the Bratva. Emails with coded messages were the only way of communicating with him.

"Which is why you are here, besides the fact that this is still your mission."

"My condition first." Oliver was not going to get trapped again.

"Very Well, Captain, what is your 'condition'?"

Oliver looked her dead in her steel brown eyes. "I want out."

Amanda blinked. Then some of the tensioned drained from her shoulders. "That's it?"

"Yes. I will do this. I complete this mission, I get Contact out, I help you take down your organization and then I'm gone. I never want to see ARGUS ever again. Am I clear?"

Waller stared at him for a long hard minute, calculating the pros and cons of his demand. She abruptly gave a short nod.

"You can be out. ARGUS won't contact you again Captain."

Rather than deigning that with a comment, Oliver jumped right into the problem.

"My task is to gather information—"

"No. Your mission is still the same. Infiltrate."Amanda corrected him.

"But the Pakhan thinks I'm dead. There is no more Captain Queen."

"There is a Captain Queen because he is not yet dead. According to the Bratva records and information that Contact has been able to send us, you are currently declared Missing In Action. Mr. Queen, your task is to finish what you started two years ago. Join the Bratva to discover why they're attacking soldiers and citizens alike. Thanks to you, we know mostly who. The why is another matter entirely. Do what you must to retrieve Contact—intact and alive. You're dismissed."

The door swung shut behind her.

Frustrated by Waller's aloofness and dictatorship, Oliver took a swing at his chair, slamming it against the wall before raging from the room. The two agents accompanied him to the exit, most likely there to make sure Oliver left the building. They weren't necessary; Oliver wasn't planning on coming back anytime soon.

The worst part was that Waller's guilt trip was effective. Two years he spent in the Bratva, learning their ways, doing their deeds. His goal was to find those who had slaughtered his squadron. All he learned was that the operation wasn't Bratva sanctioned; it didn't come from the Pakhan. This meant that a Captain had taken upon him to fund the third party. The operation wasn't Bratva, ARGUS knew this from the beginning and Oliver confirmed it.

Whatever the Captain was allowing was bringing in revenue. The Pakhan would've forbidden it otherwise. Oliver couldn't get close enough it to find out who was in charge or even _why_ they attacked camps in Mongolia, Markovia and China. For two years, Oliver worked, becoming Captain just to get close to the other Captain, the one in charge of the kidnapping operation.

Things were close until they all fell apart simultaneously. The Captain disappeared, the operation struck again in the US, and ARGUS wanted him out. Oliver didn't have a choice.

Now he was shoved back in again.

Knowing that he had to make an appearance to the Bratva to maintain his place as Captain, Oliver planned to go find the one person he trusted inside the brotherhood besides Contact.

A one Roy Harper.

XXXX

XXXX

It seemed that Roy wasn't hard to find. The young man always haunted the same places; the main garage in Starling, his home, alleyways in the Glades or Verdant.

The last one gave him comfort.

Oliver found him at the garage, Alexi managing him. Roy was working on the underside of the car, in a gray mechanic jumpsuit. The last time Oliver saw him, he had been a runner. It appeared that Roy was moving up in the world.

Not wanting the Bratva to know that he was back, _yet,_ he settled down to wait for Roy to get off his shift. It wasn't long; just shy of an hour later, Roy left the shop, weaving through the rough patches of the Glades, heading towards the Queen Industrial Steel Factory that housed his sister's club. The club that used to be Oliver's.

His and Tommy's.

After dropping out of his fourth college, Oliver gave up on school. There was no point in setting himself up for failure. So, he followed the advice one counselor he may have ended up sleeping with gave him: Do something you love.

Back then he'd loved partying. What better way to keep partying than to open a club? It turned out to be more difficult than he'd anticipated. His father died during the initial stages of contracting, the Queen's Gambit sinking to the bottom of the Pacific. Oliver threw himself in the work, immersing his mind so deep in paperwork that he didn't have time to dwell on his grief. He became focused on the club.

Tommy had been surprised at Oliver's zeal and determination, but he went along with it. Verdant opened a mere three months later. Oliver had considered Verdant his greatest accomplishment.

Five years later and he hadn't changed his mind.

Roy disappeared into the club. Oliver decided not to follow him in, even though he knew the password on the _other_ door, the one that led downstairs.

A few minutes later, Roy came out carrying empty bottles. The red clad boy dumped them in the recycle and Oliver saw his opportunity. He emerged from around the corner, leaving the tiny shadows cast by the afternoon sun. Roy caught the movement from the corner of his eye and jumped in surprise. Curse words followed when Roy took him in.

"You're supposed to be dead." Roy stated in disbelief. "They all say that you're dead. A new Captain is supposed to be chosen."

Oliver smiled a tight, wry smile. "By chosen, you mean a blood bath where everyone battles each other until there is only one left alive?"

Roy let out a huff. "It _is_ you. And yes, that's what's going to happen. But now that you're alive, I guess that is not going to happen. I like Alexi, I'm glad he won't be dying anymore."

"What?" Oliver was puzzled with that last statement. Alexi was in the running for _kapitan_?

"Why would Alexi be dying?"

"Oooh, you don't know. This happened three days ago. Korvich ran into the other _Kapitan_ and pissed him off. Disappeared the next day. Alexi then took charge of most of Starling, except for the section the other _Kapitan_ runs."

Oliver's head was swirling with all this information. When he was here about a year ago, there had only been him, Korvich taking orders from him until the _Pakhan_ called him back to Moscow.

The _Kapitan_ was _here_.

 _This_ is why Oliver was sent back to Starling. Because the man he had been hunting in Russia had made his way to Starling City.

With understanding clearing his mind, Oliver focused his attention back on Roy.

" _Kapitan?_ You know him? You've met him? Where is he? Roy, tell me! _Blin!"_ Oliver's hands snuck out and grabbed the boy's shoulders.

"Whoa there, I've never met anyone. I'm only a _Shestyorka,_ remember? All I know, okay, all I'm _not supposed_ to know is that he's a high ranking member of the City Government. He traveled back and forth from Russia until he gained his position. That's it. I only heard this because I overheard Alexi talking to Korvich that the new _Kapitan_ refused to come and see him. I believe Alexi knows him name, but we don't know much."

Oliver heaved a big sigh, disappointment running through him. If he just knew the identity of the other captain, then figuring out what he was doing with people would be a lot easier.

A thought struck him then. Perhaps this is what Contact knew. Contact worked finances in the Bratva as well as identity checks and more. Oliver only knew basics. Contact knew what the new _Kapitan's_ operation was, as well as his name. He just wasn't in a position where he could tell them anything.

This is why Waller needed Contact _out._ Oliver was her plan A and probably plan B. Which is the only reason she agreed to the plan in the first place.

"Okay, Roy. Is there anything else I should know. Is Thea okay?" Oliver paused. "Wait. You're supposed to be with her. Roy!"

The boy's attention had drifted. Oliver shook him, still holding him by his shoulders. Roy looked back at Oliver, almost appearing scared. Maybe he was being a little intense.

"Why aren't you with Thea? I brought you into the brotherhood because I needed someone I could trust, someone who wasn't loyal to anyone else. Because I knew that as a Captain, I would have enemies, enemies who would do whatever to hurt the people I love. This includes my sister. You're supposed to be guarding her."

Roy clenched his jaw, defenses rising. "Thea doesn't need a babysitter."

"I never said you were or she did. She needs to be protected."

"She's on her way. She interns at QC in the morning. She should be here by now."

"But why aren't you with her?"

Roy shoves his head in Oliver's space. "People would get suspicious if Thea Queen's boyfriend followed her around her internship. Queen Consolidated has security guards. Except she should be here by now, she gets down at noon and it's almost two-"

It had taken a moment for Oliver to process what Roy was saying. As soon as he did though, Roy was shoved up against the alley wall.

"You're _dating_ my sister? You? A little _mysh_ like you? Hell no. I told you to be her friend, to watch her, make sure nothing happened to her. Not so that you could get inside her pants!" Oliver shoved the boy against the wall again, hard enough to slam his head back.

They both missed the door opening and closing.

"Roy William Harper Jr! What are you doing here?" No. It couldn't be. Oliver whipped his head around towards the familiar voice. Felicity stood there, hands on her hips, a surprised scowl gracing her features. Next to her was his sister, Thea.

 _Shit._

"Ollie?"

Oliver let go of Roy, stepping back quickly, feeling the familiar urge to run.

 _Suddenly, he wasn't in an alleyway. He was in a forest, snow piled on both sides of the road. He could hear dogs barking in the distance. Two miles ahead of him was safe. If the hunters caught him, then he was a dead man._

 _The newest boyevik_ _wasn't supposed to kill the Kapitan._

 _But that's what happened. And now the men faithful to the dead man wanted revenge._

 _Oliver didn't think he could make it two miles. The dogs were so close now, human voices muffled by the trees._

 _He didn't stop running though. This was his mission. His task. If he died now, he would only have what he had done yesterday, the initiation to Boyevik._ _A violent act that he would regret for the rest of his life._

 _At least she didn't have to live with the pain._

 _He did though._

Oliver blinked and the gray stone flick back in his vision. The flashes were annoying, distracting him from the world around him, impairing his thoughts and feelings as well as his awareness.

He wouldn't admit it outloud but he needed help.

Oliver turned to run, remembering that _Thea_ was standing there, staring at him. He needed to get away from her, now. He was all for it, two running steps away, except for a soft voice stopped him.

"Oliver. Wait. Please?" That's when he found out he couldn't say no to her. He turned back around, first meeting Felicity's gaze, then his sister's. He slowly walked towards them, his attention back on Felicity. He could feel Thea boring a hole in his cheek but he wouldn't look at her.

She would ask too many questions that he couldn't answer.

Felicity hesitantly smiled at him as Thea ran to him, wrapped her small arms around his neck, burying her face in his chest, muttering about how she _knew_ he was alive. He hugged her back but watched as Felicity turned to the kid next to him and threw her arms around him.

Thea pulled back and they both _stared._

Felicity started shrieking as Roy, instead of hugging her back, started tickling her, a grin breaking on his countenance. Felicity swatted at him.

"Stop stop STOP! I didn't know, you didn't… Roy! You're supposed to tell me when you start dating a billionaire!"

"Felicity, she's not a billionaire…"

"Whatever, trust fund baby, a famous person! You got a girlfriend and didn't tell me. I thought we didn't keep secrets like this."

Roy raised his eyebrows. "Then would you like to tell me how you know Oliver?"

Queue Thea. "That's a very good question Roy, would you mind answering it for me?" She snapped, her voice with a sarcastic edge. "Please tell me exactly why you knew _my brother_ was alive and didn't tell me? And you, Felicity, you seem to know Oliver and Roy as well. So please, why don't you… _enlighten me!_ "

The air was icily tense after Thea's demand, no one looking at each other. Oliver just watched them, waiting. Felicity was the one who broke the ice.

"Okay, fine. I guess I'm going first. Roy, this is Thea, my half sister. Thea, this is Roy, my cousin. as to how I know Oliver, I met him yesterday, he gave me a ride to Starling. He's the one who told me who your father was." That was directed fully at Thea.

"Your cousin?""Your sister?" Roy and Thea spoke at the same time. They both launched into speech, trying to talk over each other.

"You mean I'm related to my boyfriend? Although…"

"Thea's your sister. Your half-sister. Is Oliver your half…"

"...it's quite distantly, still that's gross and ugh…"

"...brother? Because that just messed up. Yeesh Blondie…"

"Quiet! Both of you." Felicity cut them off. "No, Roy, Oliver is not my half brother. And don't call me blondie. How about we go inside and talk about this. The whole world doesn't need to know."

Oliver wordlessly opened the door to Verdant, ushering the trio inside.

Felicity started talking as soon as the door swung shut behind him.

"Malcolm Merlyn is my father and Thea's biological father. Oliver is Thea's half brother. I'm her half sister. Tommy was also mine and Thea's half-brother."

Roy stopped looking angry and just felt sad. He went up to Felicity and gave her a hug, rubbing her back. An unbidden thought rose to the surface that Oliver wanted to be the one doing that. He should be the one doing that. He quickly squashed it down.

Thea wasn't done though. "How are you and Roy cousins? He's never mentioned it before."

Felicity looked over at Roy. "You wanna answer this? Or should I?"

"I will." A pause. "Felicity's mom and my mom were sisters. Felicity and I were very close. We spent summers together, all the jewish holidays. Neither of us practice much anymore, well, Felicity more than me. But we were the best of friends. Until my mom died around five years ago."

Felicity grabbed Roy's arm in what Oliver determined as comfort. "That's the last time I saw him. I flew out from MIT to Starling for the funeral. Got an interview with QC at the same time. It's how I came to work there. "

Oliver braced himself. He knew that questions to him would come next. He wasn't wrong.

He must have made a noise because Thea and Felicity looked over at him, the former approaching him, while the latter just gave him a sympathetic smile.

"Ollie? I thought you were dead? They told us that you were missing in action, _three years ago._ You _died."_ Thea choked on that last word. Oliver drew her to him "You were dead, and you were never coming back and I couldn't handle it. So I opened Verdant because it was _yours,_ it was the last thing I had of you and now you're back and…" She trailed off.

"It's okay." Oliver spoke for the first time since Thea and Felicity's appearance. "It's okay. I'm back now, everything is going to be alright. Okay? I'm here, I'm right here." He attempted to comfort his sister, after not seeing her for a year. She had grown up from the scrawny teenager he had left the first time. She wasn't a baby or a child. She was a grown woman, strong, independent. Thea had made something of herself through her grief.

Just like him.

"Hey Thea?" He asked, peering down at her.

Thea untangled herself from him, quickly drying her tears. "Yeah?"

"Why don't we go hang out somewhere? Just the four of us."

Thea shook her head. "But the club…"

Oliver leveled her with a look. "Can wait. I haven't seen my sister in over five years. I think this calls for family bonding time. I need to get to know the person my sister has become, _Speedy._ " He couldn't help but smile at the nickname. Thea groaned, tilting her head back.

"Please, not again."

"What? It fit you very well when we were young. Maybe… it still does? Come on, I'm still your brother."

"Yes, and Felicity is my sister. It wouldn't hurt to get to know her some more. I guess we're closed tonight. Roy! Go call Mandy and Laury, tell them not to come in. I have to go turn off the lights. One sec."

Thea raced off with Roy, leaving him alone with Felicity.

"Oliver. Look at me." He did, noting the scarf wrapped around her neck. He met her eyes, seeing nothing but kindness shining from them. Slowly, Oliver lifted his hands and pulled down the fabric. Her neck was blue and in some place purple, almost black. He roughly moved away from her.

Felicity wrapped her hand around his wrist, pulling him to a halt and stepping around him.

"Hey! No more running. You can't run from me Oliver. I'm not going anywhere. Dig says I should stay away from you but I believe he's wrong. I can help you Oliver. I've done it with John and I can do it with you. Please, let me help you."

No. She couldn't help. If she knew what he had done, what he needed to do, what he had experienced she would run. Run run away and never return. "Felicity…"

She silenced his protest with a finger. "You flashed in the alleyway didn't you?"

Oliver nodded.

"And you didn't hurt anyone. You came right back. What was different this time" He didn't answer. "Come on, Oliver, please. For me. you can tell me. What was different this time?"

"No one was attacking me. I wanted to run and… I felt like I was running again. Like they were hunting me." His confession spilled from his lips.

"Good, good. Can you tell me who they were?" He shook his head. "Hey, it's okay, I don't need to know. But Oliver, you should know that I believe that you can be helped. You're not hopeless okay, not a monster. Yes, you've killed people, done things in the name of freedom but you can come back from that. No one is lost."

He stared at her. Just stopped and stared at her, utterly baffled. She had met him yesterday and yet could poke through his armor to the problem, the cancer in his head. Without his consent, his hand not held by hers tangled in her hair, pulling her to him, his lips to hers. She kissed him back, slowly, tenderly. This wasn't a peck or one filled with passion. It was devastating, slow and methodical, one of healing and faith. This was a promise, filled with hope and friendship. And perhaps more, but Oliver didn't dare open that door.

"Oy!" A voice squeaked. Oliver slowly separated from Felicity, turning to look at Thea standing there in shock. "Are you sure you just met yesterday? Because then _that"_ she gestured to the space, what little there was of it, between Oliver and Felicity, "is moving fast. Real fast. Like fairytale fast. Probably fast than you should be taking it. Oliver, you just got back. Don't you think you might need some time."

Oliver nodded, "Your right, it was a mistake." Though the words cracked his already broken heart. Felicity's slight gasp beside him concerned him and he held her a little tighter to him, hoping Thea wouldn't notice.

Roy appeared then, carrying a bottle of wine. "Thea, it's only just afternoon! We should _not_ be drinking alcohol!"

"Silly boy, the afternoon is the best time to drink alcohol! All the Queens know this."

"Thea," Oliver interjected, still not yet releasing Felicity, "You're not old enough to drink. Roy, don't let her have any." He leveled him with a stern glare.

Oliver turned back to Felicity. 

"Don't think I've forgotten what happened in the alleyway, Oliver." She whispered. "You are going to explain to me how you know Roy and why you were tossing him around. He's my cousin, Oliver. Leave him out of this."

" I didn't know he was your cousin."

"Then why-"

Felicity was interrupted by the door crashing open. A man wearing a police uniform walked in.

"Ah, hell." Felicity stated. Oliver quirked an eyebrow.

"Miss Smoak." Thea drew up short as the police officer passed her, heading towards Felicity. Oliver could hear Felicity gulp a big breath.

"Hello, Captain Lance. How did you find me?"

"I didn't. But, it turns out that someone saw Thea Queen eating lunch with a strange blonde. They caught it on camera." Lance held up his tablet. Across the top were the words THEA QUEEN SPLURGING? With Felicity almost recognizable, eating a fry with Thea. Felicity grabbed the tablet from him, whipping through the article. Oliver shrunk back, ducking his head. He didn't want Lance to recognize him. 

"I recognized you, especially since your mother filed a missing person's report. She's worried sick about you. It's time for you to go home."


	5. Captain Lance

Felicity glared at Captain Lance. This _prick_ of a guy who dared tell her what to do and how to do it.

"Yeah, no. Sorry." She said, smirking slightly, with an edge to her voice. "I don't do what douchebag future step fathers tell me. Especially when they insult my intelligence." Felicity brushed past him, heading towards the door.

"Felicity!" She could hear the warning growl in Lance's voice. "Don't make this harder than it has to be."

Felicity flipped around, anger gnawing at the bit. "News flash: _I'm not a child._ I am an adult, with a college degree. I can do whatever the hell I want." She glanced past Lance to see Oliver retreating into the shadows. She had noticed he was good at that, hiding in plain sight. Perhaps he knew Captain Lance? Oliver grew up in Starling, so the Captain probably knew him.If Felicity knew who he was, then the Captain surely did.

She focused back on Lance as he said "Felicity, please. Your mother misses you and is worried sick. At least let her know you're safe."

"Why can't you do that for me, since, you know, you're going to be my new dad and all." Felicity couldn't curb the sarcastic retort.

"Felicity, that isn't why you're upset." Lance walked towards her, hands held out in a peace gesture. Felicity involuntarily took two steps back.

He tried again. "You're mad because… well… we got off on the wrong foot."

That was the wrong thing to say. "Wrong foot? Wrong foot? That is such an understatement! You come into my home, I thought 'oh this is just another one of my mother's boyfriends' and was prepared to write you off as such. Then, you compliment me on my computer but then proceed to correct me on the operating system! The _operating system._ The very one I had improved from it's original Linux OS, which, as all programmers know, is the only truly functional operating system. Who's the one who graduated from MIT with a _master's degree_ in Cyber Security and Computer Sciences? Not you for sure! And to top it all off, my mother informs me that she's _marrying_ you! A cop, who lives in Starling City! Right before she admits to lying to me all these years and telling me my father was a maniac! I mean, this whole situation is messed up, and I refuse to be the one to clean it up!"

Felicity was huffing by the time she was finished with her rant, four pairs of eyes looking at her like deers in blaring headlights. Thea was the one who took a step forward.

"Felicity…" The pity that was held in those four syllables had her turning away from her new found sister and storming out the back door. Tears poked at her eyes because she was so _frustrated._ Why did her mother have to marry _him?_

If Felicity stopped and thought about it, perhaps out of all the boyfriends her mother has had throughout the years, Captain Lance may be the best. But to spring it on Felicity, with her not really liking the Captain at the moment was outrageous.

If she was honest with herself, she was probably the most mad at her mother. Her mother who kept secrets from her daughter all her life. Her mother had given her no warning about their decision, not even given Felicity a chance to get over being offended.

She had barely met him a month ago. And it was probably her fault at getting so upset at his ignorance and stubbornness that he was right. Felicity had the same temper, the difference knowing that _she_ was right and _he_ was wrong. Felicity could have totally handled the situation in a different way, one that would not have caused her to take such drastic measures as running away.

So, in a way, everything was her fault.

The guilt started eating her up, tearing at her stomach, clawing to be released somehow. Felicity let the tears flow, sinking down the wall until she was on the dusty concrete, head buried against her legs.

Vaguely, she heard the door open and close.

Then she was gathered up in two strong arms, encased in his warmth, feeling safe and comforted and just _understood._ She buried her face in his jacket and cried, soaking his shoulder. His hands just soothed up and down her back, strange words being muttered above her.

When she began to quiet, Oliver pulled her away from him, grasping her face in his large, rough hands, and looked at her. His blue eyes bore into her, not letting her look away. He read all of her emotions, and like last night, interpreted them correctly.

"It's not your fault, Felicity."

"Yes it is," she grumbled, just to argue and to justify her guilt.

" _No,_ it's not. You are not responsible for the actions of others." He was still staring at her, sincerity shining behind his eyes.

"How do you know?"

"I've spent a lot of time staring at the mirror. I know a guilty expression when I see one and your's is the paradigm of all guilty expressions. "

Felicity half sighed, half sobbed, a kind of whining sound. "If I had just…"

"Just what? Not stood up for yourself and your brilliant mind? Not protested a marriage that would affect you with no say in the matter? No, you were right to do what you did. But it's up to you to decide what to do next. You two are going to be family whether you like it or not.

"I'm not the best person to say this, since it probably makes me a hypocrite. Don't run away from these things. In the end it hurts you more. Just these few moments with my sister reminds me of the importance of family. They should be the first line of forgiveness. Thea didn't have me o turn to when she found out. But when you're angry at each other, it's a gnarled knot that tightens the more you poke at it. It's best to just let it go."

Felicity mumbled a muffled 'okay' as she buried herself back inside Oliver's warmth. He picked her up and set her on her feet, running his thumbs under her eyes to clear the salt stains.

"Better?" She gave him a small shaky smile.

He smiled back, a sad one. "Better." Oliver led her back inside, one comforting hand heavy on her shoulder blade.

Thea and Roy had disappeared and Captain Lance was sitting at the bar, fiddling with a coaster. He rose when he saw them.

As she stepped out of the shadows cast by the overhead balcony, Oliver's hand fell away as he refused to leave the shadows. She let it be, for now.

Both her and Captain Lance spoke at the same time.

"I'm sorry-" "Felicity, I should have-"

They both stopped simultaneously as well.

"You go first," Felicity gestured.

Lance gulped, before pulling his hat down from his head and scratching it, wringing his hat. He was nervous but quickly spoke.

"Since we're going to be family and all that-"

"And all that" she couldn't help but echo. She bit her tongue when she heard a cluck of reprimand from behind her. Captain Lance didn't notice.

" I guess what i'm trying to say is I'm sorry. I was trying to impress your mother and by trying to do that, I insulted you. I mean it's like trying to win two women at the same time. I'm making this worse." He halted, blew out a breath and placed the cap back on his head.

"I see that what I did a month ago was a mistake and I'm sorry. If I'm the reason that drove you away then I hope to fix it somehow, if I can."

Felicity was torn between hanging onto the hate that had fueled her pride or letting his apology get to her. Knowing that the anger would fuel the guilt that was eating her alive, she took the second option.

"It seems we're good, Captain Lance. But for future reference, when it comes to computers, I know what I'm talking about."

He nodded in affirmation. "I learned my lesson that day. I will leave such matters in your very capable hands, Miss Smoak. Now, back to business. Your mother called in a Missing Persons. As you are a legal adult you have two options. Stay missing, as is your right or comfort your mother's nerves and let her know you're alright. It's up to you."

Felicity smiled, a genuine one since that morning. Then she grimaced. Her mother would give her her hell for this stunt. She quickly made a decision. "I'll go back but… not yet."

Captain Lance looked chagrined all of a sudden. "I may have told her you were here… and she may have caught a flight an hour ago… and she maybe landing in an hour."

 _No._ Felicity was not ready to deal with the repercussions that would follow when her mother confronted her. It would be another shouting match and she had had so many twists and turns today that she was done. Panicking, she grabbed the first thing in reach to play with, in an attempt to calm her nerves. The thing she grabbed, however, was her scarf.

"Felicity. What the hell happened to you?!" Captain Lance strode over to her, tilting her head up so he could get a better look at her neck. She had totally forgot about the bruises.

"It's a... " she couldn't think of anything except the truth. And it wasn't hers to tell. "It was an accident." Her mouth came up with the perfect words. It was true, but not the entire story.

"An accident?" he questioned incredulously? "You have strangle marks on your neck and you say it was an accident? You should report the person who did this to you, Felicity, not protect them. That bastard does not need your protection."

"It was me." Oliver spoke from the shadows, creeping out into the light. Lance gaped at Oliver, blinking his eyes rapidly.

"Blimey." Lance's mouth worked up and down in astonishment. "If it isn't Ollie Queen. You, sir, are supposed to be dead."

Oliver took the accusation in stride. "Apparently, I'm not." He spread his hands innocently. A mask was up, what Felicity perceived to be his public personae, the one and only Ollie Queen, playboy extraordinaire. Felicity alone knew what was hidden beneath it.

A man in pain.

"Don't get cocky with me, son. You're still on my dirt list, resurrected or not. This-" he pointed at Felicity's neck, " is physical assault. Would you like to file a report?" This was directed towards Felicity.

" _No!_ It wasn't his fault! Lance, you don't know what he's been through. It was an accident okay? I was too close and he reacted on gut instinct. Lance, you know how veterans get. The flash of the past. Please, let this go."

She was hanging onto Lance's wrist, standing protectively between the two men. Captain Lance looked furious, his face turning red and his jaw clenched hard. Looking behind her, she could just make out Oliver's defeated expression. He was blaming himself, as always.

No, not 'as always'. She couldn't say that having only been around Oliver for less than twenty four hours. But the phrasing felt right, as if the past hours had been years, rather than minutes.

It was scary how they clicked like that.

"Fine." Lance snapped shortly. "But I'm still going to have you checked out. We won't dust you for finger prints, _this time._ Mark my words, Queen, this happens again, and I'm raining hell on you for this, PSTD or not."

Lance took Felicity by the hand, and she went willingly, glancing back over her shoulder at Oliver whose gaze never left her face even as she went out the door.

Two hours later, Felicity had been checked by a doctor and was sitting in the police precinct, waiting for Captain Lance to return from the airport with her mother, dreading the upcoming confrontation. She wouldn't have Oliver this time to cheer her up though. The thought dragged her down.

She stared at the linoleum, trying to block all apprehension from her mind, the butterflies her her stomach making her nauseous. Two black boots obstructed her view of the floor, followed by two familiar haunted blue eyes. She reached out and poked him. He was real, not a figment of wishful thinking.

"Why do you always show up when I need you?" She asked unthinkingly. Felicity immediately clapped a hand over her mouth. "I did not mean to say that."

His mouth ticked upward slightly. "Yes you did. You always say what's on your mind." There is was again. That persistent _always._ They didn't have an always. They couldn't. It was illogical.

She glanced up right into a flash of bright white. Paparazzi.

Now she was going to be all over the magazines. Just what she wanted. A headline on a police computer caught her attention. The officer was looking at an article below the main one, something about a shooting in the North Side. But the headline, similar to the one Lance had shown her earlier was "Oliver Queen is Alive".There was then an accompanied picture of Oliver outside Queen Consolidated.

"You went to Queen Consolidated." It wasn't a question. He nodded.

"It seemed like the best time to let the world know I'm back." His expression darkened suddenly, Oliver delving into whatever black thoughts he was thinking.

"Hey." She cupped his cheek, trying to bring him back. Eventually, his eyes lost their hardened look. "Stay with me. Where did you go just then? And be honest please. It's the only way I can help you. Diggle did this too. He would try to block me out, try to protect me from the darkness."

"I don't want to... " He trailed off. " I can't… Felicity. I've experienced a lot of bad things."

"Oliver, it's-"

"You'll think badly of me. If I tell you, you won't look at me the same. You don't know what I've done!" He whispered harshly, looking around at the surrounding police.

"I'm not asking you to, not right now. You thought something, though, that took you somewhere, somewhere in the past. Why?"

He looked down, still crouched in front of her. "I was supposed to be dead." She could barely hear him over the bustle. "Now the world knows I'm alive. People that I've pissed off. People that know my name and want revenge. I wasn't just a soldier, Felicity." He stopped. Then so faint she strained to hear him, guilt and shame very apparent in his voice. "I was worse."

Felicity didn't know how to respond to that. She could see Oliver breaking down in front of her, trying so hard to hang on to his control, that she gestured to a detective, pointing towards the man with the camera. The detective got rid of the invader, while she held Oliver as he sat down cross-legged on the floor, staring like she had at the sealing cracks in the floor. He had told her something, which was progress. One baby step forward.

He had delved into the darkness again and Felicity knew that if she tried to force him out again, he would spring back in harder.

He had to find his way back alone.

Minutes passed, Felicity combing through Oliver's hair as he hugged her legs, forehead braced on her knees. Eventually, he loosened his grip, lifting his head.

"Thank-you." He said seriously. He unfolded himself and stood just as a blonde whirlwind came sweeping in, a cry of joy following behind her.

"Felicity! Oh my precious precious girl! Where have you been! I was so worried that you had been kidnapped! Don't do that to me! You have no concern for my nerves or my looks. That much worrying is bound to take a hold of my complexion."

Her mother. Donna Smoak.

Oliver turned to her mother and stopped in what Felicity could only describe as shock. Then Felicity became flabbergasted when Oliver and her mother embraced.

"Donna. It's so good to see you."

"Oliver. How you have grown. The last time I saw you was when you had that dreadful haircut! Oh how the time has flown!"

Felicity looked back and forth between them. "Mom? What-how do you know Oliver?"

Donna appeared affronted. "Why, Felicity, don't you know? He came to see me years ago. Him and Tommy."

This was news. Felicity gaped at her mother. "You met Tommy?!"


	6. Mama Smoak

Oliver stared at the woman he had met roughly seven years ago. Donna just raised her eyebrows under his scrutiny.

"May I come in?" Donna asked, a hesitant smile gracing her lips. He heard the underlining worried tone in her voice and reluctantly let her in the door.

"Would you like some refreshment?" He asked, manners his mother had ingrained in him coming to the surface.

"No, thank you." Donna shook her head. "But, would you mind terribly if I used the restroom?"

"Yes, just down that hall. I'll just be in here." Oliver motioned to the sitting room.

"Thank you."

It had been a week since everything had gone to hell. Felicity had gaped at her mother, gaped at him, the hurt expression piecing him deeply. He could see the trust she inexplicably had in him waver. He'd expected Felicity to blow up at this knowledge, but instead she just looked pained, walking out of the precinct without another word.

Felicity went and stayed at Diggle's place, with Oliver moving back to the Queen Mansion. Thea was happy to have him back, even if he kept avoiding her. She had questions about his time away that he wasn't willing to share. Instead, Oliver spent his time in the Glades, reiterating his position as Kapitan. Roy was supposed to get him information about where Contact was supposedly held. Bratva Tech experts were kept in a safe house. This place was more of a prison for Contact, though. He wanted out—out of the death, out of the mob, just out. Because if anyone knew that Contact had this information, let alone had shared it, _he was a dead man._ And Contact had something important on why the bratva was diverting men, weapons and guns to a certain party. Oliver didn't know the guy's name, all he'd seen was a face from across the room. Kapitans, after all, didn't associate much. It was rare for two to meet, and even rarer for them to share the same city .

Blood would be spilled soon. That's what happened when two _kapitans_ fought for power.

Thea was terribly disappointed that Felicity left. She'd just begun the process of getting to know her sister and Felicity had just walked away. Secrets had _driven_ her away. Oliver, however, thought that this was a good thing. Because Oliver and secrets were bedmates. And if Felicity wanted answers and not secrets, then he wasn't the best person to keep around.

He couldn't stay away from Felicity though. He tried. He'd get on his motorcycle after reprimanding one of his men—it was scary how easily he fell back into the role of ruthless murderer and mobster—and head towards Queen Mansion. However, no matter how good his intentions, he always found himself parked outside Diggle's house forty minutes later, watching her through the window, making sure that she was safe.

She was comfortable around Diggle. talking and laughing, sometimes even having serious conversation which would make Felicity cry. Oliver always wanted to go to her, wrap her in his arms as he had done that day with Captain Lance, hold her and never let go. In his mind she was his, no matter how briefly they had known each other, no matter that he had done nothing to deserve her. If Oliver had believed in soulmates, he would have insisted until his dying day that she was his mate in every way.

They fit perfectly.

Which was why he fought against this feeling. The urges he got to just hop up off his bike and go to her, blow into Diggle's house and kiss her. He never liked the complexity of perfection. That was a messy situation, being perfect. Oliver had always been a screw up. He screwed up his relationships, he screwed up as a captain in the special forces, he had screwed up being a secret agent. Oliver knew in his bones that this thing he had with Felicity was the one thing he _couldn't_ screw up. He would rather keep his distance than watch it fall apart because of him. He was broken. Felicity felt like she could fix him, make him better. But she couldn't. He had red splashed over his past and no amount of Clorox would make it clean.

Maybe he should have died.

The instant he thought this Thea's face came to mind, her surprise and disbelief and elation at seeing him. How even though he wanted to run, even though he was damaged and destroyed Thea loved him, welcomed him back with open arms.

Thea had noticed him going out of his way to associate with her as little as possible. So she would come bursting into his room in the morning these past few days, double check that he was awake, then drag him to places around the city. They did normal things in the morning until Thea went to her internship and he slipped away down back alleys. He felt almost like his old self, until he looked down at his left arm and saw the knife mark that scarred down the skin.

Once he had an episode in front of Thea. He hadn't hurt her—unlike Felicity—but he'd pushed her behind him and wouldn't let her move. He had pulled a gun, holding it out in protection as his mind had wandered back to the mountains of Afghanistan, holed up in an old building, waiting and waiting for the enemy. One that never showed itself.

Thea had finally talked him out of it, holding him as he broke down from his involuntary actions. She put up with him as he insisted that he couldn't walk down the left side of the road, that side being the only side soldiers were allowed down. He had so many issues, defense mechanisms and eschews, that he loved Thea all the more for acquiescing to his requests.

One night Diggle had come out after Felicity had gone to bed. Their conversation still haunted his memories.

"What do you think you're doing Oliver?" Diggle had demanded. Oliver had shrugged in response, not really knowing.

"Look, either come inside or don't come back. I don't want you half way here or there. You know I don't approve of you doing anything with Felicity, but it's mostly because she's important to me, and I don't want to see her hurt. I'm afraid—"

"I don't plan on hurting her."

"But that's what you're doing Oliver! She's mostly upset at her mother because of all the secrets she's been keeping. Apparently, you were in on one. Her anger at you is just a by-product of that. You're doing more harm than good staying away. Just come in and explain."

"I can't Diggle. I'm no good for her. I've done things… I can't…there are things that she can't know."

"Felicity is very adamant about helping you. But that can only be done if you want her to and let her."

"She can't know these things, okay? The way she wants to help me is by digging deeper and John, there are things that she _shouldn't_ have to know _._ They're my sins, my mistakes, my burdens to bear. Felicity… she's too pure to be tainted by this."

"Oliver... for some reason, i have no idea why, you barely know the girl, you trust Felicity. Then actually _trust_ her. It's not easy to let someone in, believe me I've been there. But Felicity can handle it. She has a good judgement on character. Who ever she trusts means that that person is worthy of it."

"But—"

"No buts. Now either come inside and talk to her, or leave. Your choice."

Oliver desperately wanted to follow Diggle into his home. But he couldn't. Not yet. When he was done with the Brotherhood, when he was out, then and only then, would Oliver give himself a chance to heal.

Because why try to stitch the wound when you were only going to open it further?

"What's going on between you and my daughter?" Donna interrupted his thoughts, appearing in the doorway.

"Mrs. Smoak—"

"None of that. Call me Donna."

"Donna…"

"Because I think you're the best thing that has ever happened to her."

"Excuse me?"

Donna came towards him and took the couch opposite, leaning forward slightly.

"Mr. Queen—may I call you Oliver? —Oliver I have done many things in my life that I regret. The one thing I don't is my daughter. She has,and always will be my first priority."

"I don't see… I trust… Donna-"

"Just hear me out. Felicity has always been special and I've done my best to protect her from ...everything. From all the people in this world who I just didn't think were good enough for her. And I know I've been wrong many times when it comes to her, But I'm not wrong about this one thing: my daughter needs you. I don't know why, but she does. I could see it in the precinct. There was something tangible between the two of you. She looked at you like ...like you were her whole world. I've only seen that look on her face once."

"When?" Oliver couldn't help but ask. He was floored by this revelation. Felicity looked at _him_ that way? If Diggle had said it, or Thea, he wouldn't have believed them. Donna, on the other hand, hardly knew him. Plus, she knew her daughter. If Donna said it, then it had to be true.

"In the mirror right after Quentin asked me to marry him."

They both fell silent. The ticking of the grandfather clock was the only sound in the house, Thea being at QC.

Oliver spoke up. "You never told her about Tommy. Why?"

"Because she didn't need that pain. You see, when you and Thomas Merlyn showed up at my doorstep, I was shocked. "

"I remember."

"You remember our conversation then. You remember me telling you that Malcolm loved Rebecca and that I was a lapse, the only one. The reason he came back all those years later was because of Felicity. Because he felt duty bound to her to be in her life, his penance for cheating on his dear wife. Tommy understood. He just wanted closure as to his parents Felicity, she would never have understood. She would have always felt less, like her father didn't love her. And in his own way, he did. Even if Felicity was more of a chore than an actual choice. He just didn't love her like she deserved. That's why I kept this secret all this time."

"What I don't understand is how she didn't figure it out. Felicity is brilliant."

"Yes, yes she is. Be that as it may, Malcolm is also cunning. Take the Undertaking for example." Oliver shuddered, remembering blood and concrete. "I'm sorry about Tommy. It seemed you two were very close."

"We were." He choked, getting unexpectedly emotional. He was touched that Donna had even noticed his reaction, let alone know he was thinking about Tommy. She knew how to read people, that's for sure.

"Anyhow, Malcolm always visited us under an assumed name. Felicity knew her father as Damien. So did I for the longest time. It wasn't until his last visit that he accidently let it slip who he really was. I was so angry at him that I threw him out. Felicity didn't understand why her father never came back, and it's because he wasn't welcome."

"Because he was 'a rich billionaire who could've been providing life support,'." Oliver remarked, remembering Felicity's words the first time he met her. He remembered everything she said. His particularity for details had zoned in on her and everything about her.

"Exactly."

"Then why did you decide to tell her?" Oliver questioned. If Donna had worked so hard to protect Felicity why had the truth come out now?

"It was an accident. I'd just accepted Quentin's proposal. Mr Que-Oliver, I have been hit on by many men in my life. Only one has ever proposed. After so many years I'd given up hope of ever being married, of having a true father for my daughter. I was happy. I am happy.I wanted to share my joy with Felicity. Imagine my surprise when she was vehemently against it. She was upset that she hadn't seen it coming, I think. She'd only met him once, which I admit was less than ideal. She accused me of trying to replace her father. She already had a father, she told me, and that father had left her. She didn't need a new one. And ...well, in the heat of the moment, I let it slip. I was just so frustrated that she couldn't be happy for me that I told her ...I told her that her father was Malcom Merlyn and he didn't give a damn about her. I...I regret telling her in such a way. I regret telling her at all, really. And, of course, she stormed off after that. I gave her some space, because that's what I figured she needed, but when I came home after work that day ...she was gone."

"Donna, I have no idea why your telling me this..."

"Because you can get through to my daughter. You have secrets, yet she trusts you more than she's ever trusted me. And it's my fault, I feel like it's my fault that she hasn't been able to follow her dreams. I know she blames me for it. I don't want her to miss out now. So I'm asking you, please, for me, go talk to her."

Donna stood up and went to the door. Oliver followed her like a good guest. Just before the door closed she ducked her head back around it.

"Love her, for me please. You're the only one who can."

XXXXX

Impatient men either win or fail epically.

In Oliver's mind if he got Contact out _today_ then he could start the healing processes. Start over. Start something with Felicity.

Her should have known that things would be more complicated.

Roy called him just after Donna Smoak left, telling him he had overheard two men talking just outside of the garage. They were complaining about a computer part shipment to a particular warehouse near the wharf. Roy guessed that that was where the safe house was.

Irrationally but wanting this hellish nightmare to end, he burst into the warehouse with no backup plan, no escape routes, just him and his weapon. Dig would be disappointed. There was evidence of life, computers and bullet shells. Roy had gotten the right place but he was too late.

Oliver turned over a table in frustration. Computer parts scattered all over the floor. Oliver owed a lot to Contact-who to kill to move up in the ranks, dirt on competitors, the best way to release trafficked girls without raising suspicion- and just missing them increased his frustration. he felt like he had failed Contact.

Suddenly light caught his attention. One of the computers had turned on.

NAME?

Oliver tried typing. Nothing. Perhaps it was voice activated.

"Oliver Queen".

Имя?

" _Kapitan Koroleva"._

A black screen appeared. Slowly, as if someone was typing it, words appeared on the screen.

TOO LATE CAPTAIN. TRY AGAIN

It was the kind of cynical sarcastic humor that Contact always gave him. Like this was all a big game to him.

ADVICE THEN COMES THE WARNING

TRY A NEW STRATEGY . YOU'RE GETTING WARMER. PERHAPS A DIFFERENT ENTRANCE TO THE CLUB. MANY HANDS MAKE LIGHT WORK. RIGHT PLACE WRONG TIME. TRUST COMES HARD TO THOSE THAT ARE ALONE. TO WIN THE GAME AND RESCUE THE PRINCESS LINK NEEDS TO FACE THE VILLAIN. TO FACE THE ENEMY. FIND THE ENEMY. YOU KNOW YOU'RE GOING THE RIGHT WAY IF THERE ARE ENEMIES IN FRONT OF YOU.

NOW, A STORM OF BLOOD IS BREWING. HIS BLOOD. THE BLOOD DRUG. BEWARE BLOOD. BEWARE THE LOVER. BEWARE HER FATHER.

FOLLOW THE BLOOD. THE TRAIL LEADS TO THE WOUNDED.

The computer shut off, the words on the screen slowly fading.

The email was cryptic, even for one from Contact.

 _Find the enemy._ That was clearly meant for who ever was in charge of the drug operation. But wasn't that Ivo? Or had something happened that had made them change leadership? Because Contact always called Ivo "the Doctor".

 _Beware Blood_

 _Follow the Blood._

Oliver didn't know whose blood or what blood but Contact's advice was clear-

Get help.

Имя- Name


	7. Laurel

**K guys. We're jumping back slightly to Felicity POV. As we gathered in the last chapter (just in case you missed it) after Donna mentions Tommy Felicity storms out of the precinct.**

 **This chapter has a LOT of Tommy in it, via Laurel. This is the last intermediary chapter. Next one is where the real plot begins.**

* * *

Lies.

She's sick of them. Her mother, the person Felicity thought was the shallowest in the world, most transparent in the world, has revealed so many secrets in the past week that it's making Felicity's head spin. Her world tilts on the axis of how she knew it, colors fading different, light slanting shadows a new angle.

Felicity buries her face in her hands. She's sitting in a café not three blocks down from the station, nursing a latte. Turns out, storming down the street in heels is exhausting.

It's been a rough four days. First she finds out that her mom is marrying a police Captain in Starling City, which now she's okay with, but her mother followed it up with revealing her biological father who just happens to be a mass murder. It's been five years since the earthquake but on her drive into the city she was able to make out the scar that the people have been desperate to cover up. Reminders of a tragedy caused by one mad man.

Felicity wanted no part of that inheritance. Her brief talk with Thea firm the thought that her sister was of the same mind.

When she had encountered Thea at Queen Consolidated, Felicity was surprised with how well Thea took it. Thea had just shrugged when asked, stating simply "No one would claim to be Malcolm Merlyn's daughter unless it was true." Felicity was inclined to agree.

Felicity took another sip of her coffee. Her anger has dissipated a while ago, somewhere between block two and three. She just needed space this time; space to think about Tommy. She didn't' plan on running away again.

It had shocked her, in more ways than one, that her mother had met Tommy. She didn't know _when_ but something said that it was after his first year at Harvard, before he dropped out. He probably flew down to—Felicity didn't know what. The fact that her brother had cared enough about her to watch her and then visit her mother was astounding. The desire to know him suddenly overwhelmed her, craving just _one_ interaction. She already loved Thea, knowing her sister for less than three hours. And Oliver-

"Felicity?"

Her name being called broke into her thoughts. She looked up to see a familiar face, standing with a hip cocked, small black bag over her shoulder. Her gray pantsuit was pressed to perfection giving a sharp contrast to the waves in her brown hair. It was a pleasing and unsettling sight, just the way the woman preferred it.

Laurel Lance.

"It _is_ you! Wh- what are you doing here?" Laurel skirts around a table before pulling out the chair opposite her.

"Your hair is different! i like it. You've changed so much from the last time I saw you-what, five years ago? It's been so long. How are you?"

"Great!" Felicity can't help the sarcastic tone creep into her voice. "Just peachy. Do people say peachy anymore?"

"I don't know. Probably. Are you still engaged to that... Bowen? Carter Bowen that's right. Are you still engaged?"

Felicity had totally forgot about that. She had met Carter via Laurel's sister, Felicity's roommate. Sara and Carter were both in pre med. Carter was her rebound her senior year of college, just after her boyfriend committed suicide.

They had gotten pretty serious right before Donna accident, the one that tore Felicity from her future plans, and Carter had asked her to marry her better judgement, fearful that they were moving too fast, Felicity said yes.

However Carter was planning to move back to Starling City to go to med school, which is why Felicity was looking at companies there after graduation. With her sudden move, they kept putting of the wedding, hoping that Felicity could eventually move there. But after a year, he finally broke it off. Carter had gotten this great opportunity to internship in China, with humanitarian Doctors without borders during the summer months. That had been two years ago and Felicity had never heard from him.

"Ah...no. I actually haven't heard from him for two years."

Something sparked in Laurel's eyes at that.

"Sara's been missing for the same amount of time."

Felicity knocked over her coffee cup in shock. "Sara's _missing? When?_ How have I never heard this?"

"Y ou know how Sara was always obsessed with Ollie, right?" How could Felicity forget? All Sara could talk about was Ollie Queen. There were posters in their shared room displaying his handsome...face. For as much as Felicity was smart, she started kicking herself. Ollie Queen and Oliver Queen were the same damn person.

Sara would be jealous to hear that Felicity had kissed him several times.

"Yeah." She grabbed some napkins to clean up the spilled caffiene. "She wouldn't shut up about him."

"He's back, did you know? Turns out he didn't die overseas."

"I know." Was all she said.

"Well, after graduation, Sara got into med school. I always told her that she could do it. About three years ago, right before we got the news that Ollie was MIA, Sara received a scholarship to Xinjiang Medical University. SCU wanted her to finish her schooling there. Since the last we heard of Ollie was in Afghanistan, and Sara was desperate to be close to him, She left. Her last response was a little more than two years ago." Felicity could see tears slipping down Laurel's face.

"Laurel I'm so sorry. I'm so so sorry." These were the only words Felicity could speak. She was numb; Sara had been her best friend. But she had gotten so caught up in her own pain and suffering, that she hadn't contacted Sara since college. She was a horrible friend. And now she was gone.

Everything that had happened that day, from secrets to Oliver and to her mother, she was overwhelmed. Panic started building inside of her, tearing her heart. "Laurel, I'm so sorry, I have to go."

Leaving Laurel crying on the table, Felicity left the cafe, wandering the strange streets, sobbing until she couldn't walk. She found an alley and ducked down it, her shaky legs sinking to the floor where Felicity cried and cried.

XXXXXXX

Time heals all wounds- or at least lessens the sting.

Felicity pushed the revelations and complications of the past two days to the back of her mind and focused on what she could control, herself. She put the what-ifs, and the maybes, and the probabilities in a little box Felicity labeled Oliver.

For some reason she kept opening it. She knew how Pandora felt, curiosity gnawing at her stomach.

Felicity spent hours at Diggle's house alone, either on a tablet or just staring at her wall. It gave her time to think through one thing at a time.

Sara was a shock. Mostly because she had been so selfish as to get wrapped up in her own pain and ignore her friend. For _years._ Usually she wasn't so forgetful. And the knowledge that she couldn't make it up to Sara bit painfully. It was guilt. Guilt that churned her emotions to poison, swirling liquid in a pot.

Her anger at her mother dissipated slowly. Knowing Oliver as she did, and Tommy vicariously through the altered version he gave her, it would make sense that Tommy would want to know more, just like she did at this very moment. Her mother was such a flake that since Felicity was away when Tommy came, and trying desperately to protect her from the knowledge of Malcolm Merlyn, Donna was valid in her reasons. Didn't mean Felicity had to forgive her immediately.

And then there was Oliver.

The enigmatic Oliver Queen.

Felicity had met three facets of him: the playboy heartthrob Sara obsessed about, the stranger in the convenience store and the suffering soldier. Which one was the real Oliver though? The playboy was a defense mechanism of unattentive parents. The stranger felt genuine. however, no one could place a mask on ptsd reactions. Diggle had tried and she had always seen through it.

There were so many faces, masks in place, that maybe, perhaps, they were the same. A six sided dice. Felicity just had to see past them all to look at them all together. The finished piece, not the brush strokes.

He was a puzzle and she _hated_ mysteries.

That exact moment she picked up the phone. After all, it was her that had ran out on him. She slammed it down a second later. She didn't have his number. The next thought was to see him at the Queen Mansion, but that idea died quickly. They wouldn't let her in the gate.

She went to QC to see Thea periodically, just incase she could catch him. He never came. Thea also couldn't talk long, being a very busy intern even though her name was on the building. Verdant wasn't open before Dig came to get her.

Felicity didn't tell anyone that she was trying to reach Oliver, deciding it was best she kept that to herself. Diggle definitely wouldn't approve.

One night when she was going to sleep, an app distracting her on her tablet, she heard Diggle go outside. Interested, she peeked out the window to see the man she was so desperate to talk to, sitting on his bike, just staring at the house. Diggle and him had a conversation before Diggle stormed back in the house. Oliver left soon after that.

Felicity waited the next night, and the next but he never came back.

That week passed and still no sign of Oliver.

Another and Felicity started at QC. She hoped that since she was at a set location that Oliver would seek her out. He never appeared.

Three weeks passed since that day and she started looking at apartments. Her mother was moving up soon, (a small and simple wedding planned), planning to work in one of the casinos here. Felicity got busy house hunting, and responsibilities at work and wedding planning that four weeks ticked by without her noticing.

Then came the Starling City's Annual Gala. As assistant Director of QC's Applied Sciences, she was required to attend. Her mother, who had come up this weekend, was Captain Lance's date. His daughter, someone she hadn't met, was also supposed to be there.

The Queens were also planning to attend. Something that Felicity was betting on.

She was on the slide lines sipping a glass of wine, watching people mingle and drink. Her "boss" Bryon, motioned her over once in a while, but mostly left her alone.

(She was wearing a green floorlength gown, with off the shoulder sleeves and a low back, with a slit that went to her knee. She wore it as a nod to Oliver's green hoodie.)

Felicity was mostly invisible, watching, waiting for the Queens to show up. They were usually fashionable late but it had been an hour since the gala had started and there was still no sign of them.

Then all went still, like a breaker about to be opened, the slow motion before the action, the calm before the hurricane.

A whisper wind blew across the room. Nothing would be the same after this.

Felicity saw Laurel Lance, dressed in a stunning coral dress, stalk across the room to where Donna stood with the Captain and slapped her across the face right before the Oliver and Thea appeared in the doorway.

A gasp went through the audience as the two women stared at each other, both furious. Felicity all but ran over there, grabbing her mother's arm and dragging her to the nearest door which thankfully opened into an empty hall. Quentin and Laurel followed behind.

Once the door was shut firmly behind them Felicity whirled on Laurel.

"What the hell Laurel?!"

"That… That Vegas Slut is marrying my father!"

Felicity gaped at Laurel, mouth open like a fish, horror flashing across her face.

"That "vegas slut", " she stated slowly, emphasizing each word, " is my mother, Laurel."

This time, wheels turned in Laurels head as understanding broke upon her features. They were interrupted by the door to the ballroom opening again and being confronted by the beautiful perfect Queens.

"Felicity!" Thea carefully embraced her, trying not to ruin her hair. Over Thea's shoulder, Felicity watched as Laurel looked back and forth between them.

"You know Thea?"

Felicity couldn't help but sighing. She turned to Oliver who appeared behind Thea. He was crisply sharp in a black tux, blue eyes darkened in the hallway. He looked positiviely delectable. Butterflies erupted in her belly when they made eye contact.

She might just have feelings for this non-stranger.

"Oliver will you explain it to Laurel? I feel like I've had to explain this to everyone we meet."

Oliver opened up his mouth to respond but Thea beat him to it.

"Laurel, this is Felicity, my sister. As you know, my dad is Malcolm Merlyn. So is Felicity's."

Laurel's eyes widened, her hand covering her mouth. "You're Tommy's sister. This makes so much more sense."

"What does?" Felicity was eager to know anything about her brother.

"Tommy and I dated back in College. We both were attending Harvard. He had attended his first year before dropping out with Ollie, his second at SCU, before transferring back to Harvard. He said he wanted to be close to me, but now I don't think that's true."

"I didn't know this." Oliver whispered beside her.

"Every time I hung out with you and Sara, I always tried to have him come. He never would, always making some excuse."

Felicity felt a tear slip down her cheek. Why didn't Tommy want to meet her?

"Because I had asked him not too." Donna spoke up. It turned out that Felicity had said her thoughts outloud. Oliver placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"I believe he went back to Harvard to try and keep an eye on you. But he was honoring a promise to me to not approach you."

"I told him all about Felicity Sara's Roommate. He was always smiling when I talked about you. Now I know why."

Felicity wiped away her tears. "Thank-you. Oh! Laurel, I guess you're going to be my step-sister." Laurel pulled her into a hug. "I guess so," laurel smiled.

"This just keeps getting weirder and weirder." A familiar voice remarked.

"Roy!" Felicity turned to her cousin who had come and stood by Thea's side.

"Hey blondie. Aunt Donna."

"It's nice to see you Roy." Donna and Roy started catching up, Thea following her boyfriend. Captain Lance slipped back to the ballroom, returning quickly with more drinks.

Oliver's hand had slid down her arm to her hand, fingers entwining. Laurel raised an eyebrow knowingly.

"Did Dad tell you I'm engaged?" She held out her left hand, a large diamond princess set embellishing it.

"Oh! No he didn't! Congratulations Laurel"

"Congratulations." Oliver echoes the sentiments, pulling Laurel in the kiss her on the cheek. A thrill went through her that Oliver never let go of her hand.

"Who's the lucky man? Do I get to meet him?"

"Yes! He's here tonight. He supposed to give a speech. He's the Mayor." She gushed. Laurel was glowing with happiness, something that Felicity wanted badly.

"Laurel, honey? They said you were in here." Someone called from the door. They all turned.

"Oh, here he is now. Felicity, Oliver, meet Sebastian Blood. Bastian, meet Felicity Smoak, my future step-sister and friend, and Oliver Queen."

The curious thing happened. Felicity's unique connection to Oliver alerted her to the fact that Oliver tensed upon hearing Sebastian's name. His face hardened a second later.

"Zima v nashikh zhilakh" Oliver challenged, the strange words gliding over his tongue.

"Raduysya, brat" Sebastian responded.

All of a sudden, Felicity was pushed behind Oliver, hand still entwined. Felicity could see the same thing happening to Laurel.

Whatever was going on with Oliver, Sebastian was a part of it. Words too fast for her to catch volleyed back and forth between the two, Oliver growing more and more on edge. She looked back over her shoulder at her mother, who was blissfully unaware what was happening. Captain Lance, on the other hand, was watching the two men carefully over his champagne glass, his other hand drifting towards his gun. Apparently, this confrontation wasn't normal. Since Felicity never knew what "normal" was obviously.

"You better watch your back, Queen."

"Is that a threat?" The question caught her off guard. This conversation had startled her, and there had been threatening tones bantered around. But having it in a different language had lessened the impact. Hearing the words plainly, had reality crashing back.

"A promise." Felicity glanced at Sebastian which she later regretted. He eyed her lecherously, blatantly following her arm down to where it was connected to Oliver. He smirked, which made Oliver push her behind him all the more.

"Leave her alone." Sebastian said nothing, turning to Laurel instead, whispering in her ear as he led her out of the hallway. Laurel looked back at Felicity, a wide-eyed look. Felicity tried to smile reassuringly but fell short.

As soon as the door swung shut behind Sebastian, Oliver was tugging her down the hallway to another door labeled 'Exit'. The bitter wind hit her then, making her shiver. She had forgotten her coat inside. Oliver shrugged off his jacket then, wrapping it around her shoulders.

"Come on." His jaw was clenched as he proceeded to drag her to the front.

"Oliver!" He wasn't listening. "Oliver!" She wrenched her hand out of his, making him turn around.

"What the hell is going on?! And don't say—"

"Nothing."

"Nothing. Bull. Shit. Something is going on and I demand to know what it is. I haven't seen you for weeks. _Weeks._ I thought what we shared was mutual but apparently it isn't. I thought you would seek me out, since I have no way of contacting you. I work at your family's company for heaven's sake, you think you would drop by sometime. Or was that whole talk about becoming CEO just that, talk?"

"I've been busy." His answer was infuriatingly short.

"No, you don't get to say that to me. I've been busy too. But I would have made time for you had you just shown up." Felicity ran her hands through her hair, messing it up. He was so frustrating! She closed her eyes, counting down from ten, breathing deeply, trying to control the irritation building up.

When she reached one, she opened them to see Oliver's shoulders slump, his thumb rubbing his fingers as a tick showing he was nervous. Whatever the situation was, it had Oliver tangled up in knots. Yelling at him wouldn't make it better, it would just put him more on alert, have him draw away from her. So she tried a different tactic.

Felicity came closer, her hand slowly raising to his cheek. "Tell me what's going on, Oliver. Please."

The fight went out of him. "I can't tell you—yet. But I need you to be safe. How did you get here?"

"A-a taxi," she stammered. "Diggle wanted to spend a night with Lyla; she's home for a couple days."

"I'm driving." He motioned to the valet by the door who picked up a phone. A few seconds later a towncar pulled up in front of them. Oliver opened the door for her.

"Call Diggle," he commanded, sliding in behind her. "Tell him to meet us at Verdant. Now."

"But why? Why are we going there? I don't think more alcohol will help diffuse the tension."

Felicity could see a hint of a smile appear in Oliver's cheek before he sobered. "I have something to show both of you."

XXXX

XXXXX

Зима в наших жилах— _Zima v nashikh zhilakh_ - **Winter is in our Veins**

Радуйся, брат – _Raduysya, bra_ t - **Hail, Brother**


	8. Blood

**There is a ton of Russian in this chapter. So to make it easier for you guys (not having to scroll to the bottom for every sentence) all Russian Sentences will be totally italicized.**

 **Time for the real plot to begin. Also, for a note, anyone familiar with the TV Show Chuck, i modeled Oliver's background after a one Colonel John Casey.**

 **XXXX**

Everything had been going fine up until he was forced to shake hands with Sebastian Blood.

 _Blood. Follow the Blood._

Oliver thought that contact was telling him about blood in general not that Blood was a name. _The_ name in fact. He had finally met the man who had turned his life upside down.

Straightening up, shaping his shoulders to look more imposing, he barked out the traditional brotherhood greeting.

" _Winter is in our veins."_

Blood crafted an insidious smile. " _Hail, brother."_

 _"You are no brother of mine."_ Oliver snarled, tugging Felicity behind him on instinct. Blood copied his move with Laurel, the action making Oliver's skin itch; he needed Laurel away from Blood. " _You've stolen something from me and I want it back."_

 _"Ah, Anatoly's pet bites."_

 _"I know what you're doing. This is my city and my brotherhood. I dictate how the bratva runs here and humans aren't it."_

 _"What about drugs?"_ That stopped Oliver short. He had thought the entire operation was human trafficking. And it was. But for the creation of a drug. Oliver could slapped himself, but knowing that ARGUS hadn't put it together either gave him a small comfort. Ivo was a medical doctor, which is why he was paying high amounts of money for Blood to supply him with people and guns to capture more people. As long as it brought in money, Anatoly didn't care what his Captains were doing. _"From what I heard back in Moscow, those were high on your list."_ Blood continued.

 _"Stealing people for test subjects? For what drug?_

 _"A special one. Interested?"_

 _"When I'm dead."_

That angered him. His lip curled up in a snarl.

"You better watch your back, Queen."

"Is that a threat?"

"A promise." He felt Blood's eyes leave and drift behind him, no doubt to Felicity. Ignoring his own fiancée, Blood surveyed her lasciviously. He was playing an angle, Oliver just didn't know why, His perusal fell on their knotted hands, an action Oliver immediately regretted. He could see Blood take note of it. A target had just been painted on her back and Oliver felt every brushstroke as if they were blows.

"Leave her alone." He snapped, stepping towards Blood threateningly, using the same motion to cover Felicity better.

Blood dropped it, but only with a meaningful tick of the eyebrows. Oliver had just shown a weakness and Blood would take full advantage of it.

Determined to get Felicity as far as possible from the deplorable man, he ushered her towards the doorway. She was too important to him to put her at risk. He was going to take her to Verdant and—

What was he thinking? She wouldn't be safe at Verdant! He would send her home. She would be nowhere near the danger he would bring to her.

But she already had a target on her back.

In truth, Oliver didn't know what to do. The bottom line was that he needed Felicity safe. Which of the two options left to him was the least dangerous? Her house, away from him or Verdant, with him?

The predicament was warring in him, the overbearing need to protect and keep his secret conflicting.

She shivered as soon as they stepped outside. Immediately, he shrugged out of his stiff jacket, that if he was honest, was strangling him. She would have much better use of it.

He made a decision, knowing that choosing any option was better than not acting at all. He was going to send her home, _now._

"Come on." He didn't know where the parking lot was located, but the valets in front would know. Oliver would put her in a car, either hers or a taxi, and stay away from her like he'd been doing for the past several weeks.

"Oliver!" She protested his rough handling. She was probably upset that they were leaving the gala so soon. Well, it was better hurt feelings than dead bodies.

"Oliver!" Felicity punctuated her exclamation with ripping her wrist out of his grip. He whirled around, ready to give any excuse that came to his tongue if he could just get her out.

"What the hell is going on with you! And don't say—"

"Nothing." His traitorous brain made the situation worse but they didn't have time for this, not knowing what the other Captain could do with one or two well placed phone calls. His men wouldn't know that they had betrayed him until the hit came. And he could not let that happen. Five minutes minimum until they were here.

"-Nothing. Bull. Shit. Something is going on and I demand to know what it is. I haven't seen you for weeks. _Weeks._ I thought what we shared was mutual but apparently it isn't. I thought you would seek me out, since I have no way of contacting you. I work at your family's company for heaven's sake, you think you would drop by sometime. Or was that whole talk about becoming CEO just that, talk?"

Guilt hit him at Felicity's words. He had promised her a lot of things,and he hadn't come through.. He wanted to say he was sorry, that he would do better. But he couldn't. Not now.

"I've been busy."

""No, you don't get to say that to me. I've been busy too. But I would have made time for you had you just shown up."

She was right. She was always right. Felicity saw through his walls better than anyone. But putting her at a distance had been the best action he could undertake. He cared too much about her to go anywhere near her.

Felicity ran her hands through her hair, destroying the well crafted updo. After a few seconds of mumbled counting, she looked back up at him. She approached him, hand placed tenderly on his check. That one act halted him, made him turn around and take the other road. Oliver changed his mind.

He was tired of resisting the siren's call.

"Tell me what's going on, Oliver. Please"

Unable to deny her anything, he submitted to her spell. "I can't tell you—yet. But I need you to be safe. How did you get here?"

"A-a taxi. Diggle wanted to spend the night with Lyla; she's home for a couple of days."

Oliver swore internally. If Diggle had already been in the city it would have been easier. As it were, he would make do with the situation.

"I'm driving." They had reached the front, the valet watching them. He motioned that he wanted his car and the valet obliged, calling his driver who appeared in the doorway almost immediately.

One minute later, the silver car pulled in front of them. Oliver was checking the rooftops, looking for snipers. He hand was placed protectively on Felicity's back, prepared to shove her to the ground should anything happen.

He all but pushed her in. "Call Diggle. Tell him to meet us at Verdant. Now."

"But why?" She turned her clear, innocent eyes to him. "Why are we going there? I don't think more alcohol will diffuse the situation." So she had caught on to the turbulent emotions winding him tight.

God, how he loved her.

What? No. He couldn't love her. He cared for her deeply. It was impossible to fall in love with someone after only spending a few short hours with them,wasn't it? There had to be a different explanation for the fact that she was almost always on his mind.

Pushing that aside for the moment, locking it in a box to be opened never, he turned back to the lovely face that was haunting his dreams.

"I have something to show the both of you."

XXXX

Oliver had his driver pull around to the back entrance, since Verdant was open for business, the crowd warming up . The pounding bass and ripe stench of vomit made it very clear. It was only ten o'clock, but there were dolled up girls expelling something green on the sidewalk as they passed.

He saw Dig's vehicle in the parking lot, his commander, perched at the wheel, climbing out when he spotted the classy car. Oliver exited first, reaching back to help Felicity out, and informing the driver that he could be relieved of duty.

"Oliver, what is going on?" Diggle approached them, his steps indicating his frustration by the way they trudged. "Why are we here?"

"I need to show you-both of you-something and no," he cut Diggle off, "it can't wait until morning. Felicity's in danger and I need your help."

"Oliver what do you mean I'm in danger?" Felicity cried just as Dig scolded "Queen, I told you you couldn't mix her up in anything." He held up his hands and they both drew silent.

"I promise you, I _will_ explain, but you have to trust me. Do you?"

Felicity squeezed his hand and Dig nodded solemnly. Giving a wordless thanks to both of them, he opened the alley door. Ushering them both into the back room, Diggle paused at his side.

"Lyla said to tell you that the "sky is clear tonight." That to me feels like code. Are you going to explain how you know my wife."

Oliver looked him square in the eye, letting the heavy metal swing shut. "Yes."

Dig took the answer at face value and said nothing.

Just past a bottle of Cristal, Oliver stopped at a door that blended into the wall, the design of gears and wheels carved in and out of it without interruption. He flipped open a cleverly disguised panel, tapping in the code. With a hiss, a secret entrance was revealed.

"Quickly," he commanded, his hand on Felicity's back, guiding her forward, Diggle right on his heels.

They were presented with a staircase leading into the dark, emergency lights flickering, activated upon the entered password, guiding down the stairs, wisps of steam curling above.

Better to head the trouble off at the pass. Without lead, he started his story. It was the only way.

"I had this built about a year ago as a base. Thea was told it was an infestation, but that was a lie. mostly because someone would suspect it if we didn't get them all out. Roy is the only other person who knows about it. Excluding us."

Felicity looked back at him, almost tripping in her heels. His hands reached out and grabbed her, steadying her. "Yet that doesn't explain why we're here, Oliver. Or why I'm in danger."

Planning to come back to her question, he indicated that she keep descending.

They reached the bottom, Oliver slipping past Felicity's shoulder to find the fuse box. He wrenched the lever up, lighting up his base.

"Officially, Oliver Queen has no idea who Lyla Diggle is. To answer your question Diggle, I know Agent Michaels because she was-is-my handler."

Oliver watched them both carefully. Felicity still looked at him quizzically but Diggle inhaled in recognition.

"You're Agent Q." He accused. "That explains her message and why it was coded. What did it mean."

"That I had her approval in this. She's another person who knows about this hideout, however she hasn't been here."

Felicity started wandering, hand trailing over equipment. Oliver observed her. She paused over the computer systems, cringing slightly before moving over to a case.

"What's with the bow and arrow? Don't you think that's a little archaic? If we were in 12th Century England, sure, you could be Robin Hood... I thought you were in the military?!" She turned on him, anger glinting in her eyes, mouth twisted in a frown." Or did you lie about that? Is there anything that you've told me that hasn't been a lie? I don't know what's true and what's real anymore. And am I really in danger, or was that another fabrication? Because what was the point of bringing me here if everything's a lie.." She trailed off, slightly confused before visibly shaking it off. He cut her off before she could begin again.

"I was in the military, that's not a lie. Diggle can vouch." The black man inclined his head.

"He really was Felicity."

"Okay, but what's with the," her hands made a flurry motion, "secret agent CIA stuff?"

Oliver leaned against the tool bench, staring at his companions, debating. Should he really tell them? All of it? Bring them into this.

He didn't have a choice. Contact said he needed help and he'd already revealed a big part. Might as well tell the rest.

"I was on my second tour, having been promoted to Captain in the Special Forces. My unit had gotten wind of a mercenary pack that was primed to attack a neighboring village. We were in Afghanistan, near the border with Mongolia, a hundred miles from the nearest station. So, I made a decision. We were going do what was necessary to protect those villagers, those kind people that offered us food instead of hate like most."Oliver looked down at the floor, too ashamed to look at them. "We were going to kill them.

"The night before, they attacked us instead." Oliver flinched from the memories beating down, the crack of gunfire, screams, Shado kneeling behind him. "Surprised us while we were still sleeping. They killed the lookout first, silenced him before he could warn the rest of us. All of my unit was either killed or captured. I alone survived. I was half dead when ARGUS found me. They roused me and got what they could. They then offered me revenge. I took it. Anything to try and relieve this guilt, the fact that I survived and they didn't. I became one of their agents."

He stuttered to a stop, waiting for their judgements. He peered up at Felicity who had taken a seat in his chair,her arms crossed across the back. She was still in her green dress, golden hair in a curly mess.. She looked ravishing, something he had first noticed that night. Felicity was beautiful, especially with a smile. Right now, though, those same lips pinched together in sympathy.

"If you're one of their agents… what are you doing here? What happened with those mercenaries? Are you still on that assignment or do you have a different one?"

"I'm here because of that." Oliver pointed to a board on the far side of the room. Hidden in mostly darkness, Oliver switched on a lamp pointed directly on it, highlighting it.

It was like one of those movie crime boards. Post it notes clustered around a hierarchy board made up of cards. The ace was on top, with a red question mark. Under that was two Kings, one with _kapitan_ and the other with _Ivo._ The biggest question, written out in sharpie on top was one word: WHY?

Getting up, Oliver strode over to the board, intent on on changing one of the questions, the hypothetical WHAT, with 'human trafficking' written under it. He wiped it off, replacing it with 'Drug'.

He felt them come up behind him.

"Oliver? What is this?" Felicity placed her hand on his arm. He turned to look at her. She was close-too close. He faced the board again but was hyper aware of her breath tickling his cheek.

"My mission. 'To infiltrate the Russian Bratva and retrieve information about the mercenaries.'" He quoted from memory, imitating Waller's bruising cadence. "I did my job too well. I am a _kapitan_ in the Bratva." He reached forward and crossed out _kapitan_ as an emphasis to his words. "And apparently, so is Mayor Blood."

This had Felicity gasping in understanding. "Which explains what happened tonight. But what _is_ all this? Drugs what? Who is this Ivo? Oh, I'm sorry for all these questions. Mysteries bug me."

"My biggest question is why tell us this Oliver." Dig cut in, coming to stand in front of him. "There has to be reason, seeing as this is a culmination of two years of work. Must be extensive and _highly classified._ "

"I need your help."

"With what?"

"There's still more I need to tell you. Those mercenaries were hired by Anthony Ivo. ARGUS found a money trail from Ivo to the Russian Mob. Someone was taking Ivo's money in exchange for prostitutes and guns. And until now, I didn't know why. They're creating a drug. I don't know what the purpose is, but it can't be good."

"How do you know all this?"

"I have a...partner. Someone else on the inside. I know him as Contact. He joined the Bratva 6 months before I did, so I've never met him. He's been supplying ARGUS with information, and I believe, NSA before that. He's the one that found the connection to Ivo. That's what i need your help for. Contact has information, but is at risk of being discovered as a spy. We need to get him out."

He glanced at both of them, but neither was looking at him, staring at each other. Dig had more of a cautionary expression, slowly shaking his head at whatever Felicity was silently telling him, his arms crossed. Felicity had her head cocked, eyes pleading. She exaggerated pouting, almost a petulant child.

The tennis match continued, until it was clear Felicity had won, a brilliant smile lighting up her features as she turned to Oliver, her hand finding it's home in his.

"Okay Oliver, we're in. Where do we start?"

"First we need a plan. Contact-" he was interrupted by Felicity's phone ringing. Her purse was over on the table and he couldn't help watch her hips swing as she walked.

"Hello? Wait, what? Laurel? How did you get this number? My mom? Wait, wait, wait, slow down." Felicity's voice grew panicked, worried. Oliver crossed over to her, Diggle's footsteps behind him. He could hear Laurel's tinny voice shrilling in the background. His instincts, formed over five years of combat and subterfuge, flared up.

He couldn't have prepared for this. though.

"Oh my god!" Felicity exclaimed, turning to him. "You found Sara? When?"

Felicity listened a few more minutes, making encouraging as well as shocked noises before ending the call, gathering up her purse. "I have to go!" Oliver heard the panic in her voice accompanied by the desperate tone of her actions. He hurried to help, grabbing her coat and holding it out. "Apparently, Sara just walked into the gala, reuniting with her family and all. Going on about being kidnapped and oh Oliver..." He gave her all her attention, a bad feeling in his bones.

Felicity gaped at him with a look that could only be described as horror filled. "She mentioned being drugged. By a man named Ivo."


End file.
